


Under Black Shadows

by MysticHunter



Series: It's Always Sunny In Nuholani [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Based off a dream I had, Cliffhangers, Gen, Necromancy, Part 1, Put too much thought into new Pokemon and region, a little swearing, and it turned into so much more, lmao Gladion's a scientist, new region I made up, no serious relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-09-24 08:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9713345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticHunter/pseuds/MysticHunter
Summary: It begins here. In Boonalee, on a summer day at my high school. It begins with a theft and prophecy I never thought I was important enough to be a part of. Little did I know that I was the key to it all. All along, it always rested on me.But that's for later. This is just the opening to an extended and very interesting story. One that's sure to have you in the edge of your seat and dreading the shadows that crawl around your feet during moonless nights sooner or later. You'll be looking for sunlight.





	1. Nuholani

**Author's Note:**

> I literally designed an entire region after Australia. I made new Pokemon for this! 
> 
> I've been waiting for while now to write this. This is just a short chapter that introcudes you to Nuholani (which is actually just 'Australia' in a different language). This is actually kinda connected to On the Zedge of Glory, but that will be explained later on in the story.
> 
> Just a shorty for you.
> 
> Also, rated Teen and Up Audiences because there is some strong language, but not nearly as bad as Stay for the Sirens.
> 
> Enjoy!

So, you're here to hear a new tale. Well, finally, THE AUTHOR CAN BE HERSELF AND REVERT TO FIRST PERSON FOR ONCE!! And that's because, this is my story. This story is different to that you've read of. This story focuses on my adventure in the Pokemon world, because every trainer you fight as you travel through the routes has their own story to tell, but you rarely get to hear their story because you're too busy gloating your victory or giving them money as you rush to the nearest Pokemon centre hoping to heal everyone before it's too late. But, that's the honest truth. And here you are, about to read my story. So let's hop on into it. Time for a tangent. Don't comfy on one subject, I'll be hopping to different ones like a Lotad in a flower patch.

So, I live in a region different to most others. I live in the Nuholani region. Most people call it Nuhola cause 'classic Nuhola, am I right mate?' Yeah, nobody in Nuholani says that, guys. We really don't. Also, it isn't shrimp we're flipping on the barbie. They're called prawns and they're confirmed to be a rare, non Pokemon species. Sorry, got carried away there. But our Pokemon and education systems are EXTREMELY different to almost every other region there is. 

We go into a classroom and learn the history of Pokathelons and previous region champions and, as part of our cultural history units, Matilda (more on that later on in the story). We go into a classroom and analyse the Mathamatics behind the catch rate of certain pokeballs. We go into a classroom and sketch our favourite Pokemon. We go into a classroom and write speeches about why we should stop harvesting Slowpoke tails (or something like that). We got into a classroom and research, like Professors, the science behind a Pokemon with two or more forms or Mega Evolution or Z Powers. We go into a classroom and research terms and fractions about the Geography of other regions. Did you know the technical term for a chain of islands, using the example of 'Alola', is an Archipelago?

Needless to say, education systems in other regions aren't like ours. They get to learn about the Pokemon they're about to go and catch but for us... NOPE. Also, the traditions in Nuholani are very different in comparison to most other regions. Nuholani is a big place and is separated into gym territories (unless you're NT, which has two gyms). My territory is QLD, founded by the gym leader in Brisbane. I can't tell where we stand on the scale of strongest territories, but for as long as I can remember, NSW and QLD's gym leaders have been at each other's throats. They have battles annually. It even gets broadcasted in live TV and almost always, QLD wins. But my Dad came from NSW originally and has trained me to root for Sydney instead of Brisbane. Blue not Maroon, OK?

Along with that, the wonderful Nuholan capital is Canberra, the harbour of the fabulous Elite Four league.

... ALSO, WE DONT HAVE A LOT OF MOTOR TRANSPORT AND IT SUCKS CAUSE ITS REALLY HOT HERE AND, BITCH, I DONT HAVE TIME TO WASTE MY ENERGY ON WALKING TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY... and yeah, it's extremely hot here. You risk heatstroke when you go on camps.

Got carried away there, anyway, the tradition of first Pokemon... Damn. When you turn ten, you are told you can go for one of two options. You can opt for an Ultra Ball and catch the first Pokemon you encounter in the tall grasses, or you can travel to meet Professor Acacia down in Perth (home of the WN gym) and get your first Pokemon from him. I know him personally too! And, even though nobody cares, I opted for the Ultra Ball and caught a Growlithe, which I named Grillby (remember him. He's an important guy here).

I live in a secluded town in the middle of nowhere called Boonalee. We have barely any resources out here: two Pokemon centres (one only down the road from my house), a plethora of dangerous snake Pokemon to catch (if one bites you, go to the Pokemon centre. Now) and some mini gyms to train in (we've labeled the three here in town the gyms of Instinct, Mystic and Valour and whichever you go to... you can't got to any other one for the life of you). That's just about it... 

My best friend is Astrid Rivers. She's short and blonde and one of the most adorable people I've ever met, but she isn't one to be trifled with. She owns the Mystic Gym at the Graffiti tunnel and has a Pokemon sanctuary in a giant tree. A giant tree. That's right. She's really tough, her average level Pokemon coming to a high 73. That's impressive for someone who's only 14. I don't like the concept of keeping my Pokemon in 'The PC', so I send all of my Pokemon to that sanctuary. We share it as a home for our Pokemon.

My neighbourhood is full of weird Pokemon. Our next door neighbours have multiple dog Pokemon, most notably a Lycanroc that's constantly in Midday form and never stops barking and a Rockruff. They have more dogs than that, but I can't be sure which ones. The other next door neighbours have two others as well, but we can't be bothered with them. There are almost always Boxaroos and snake Pokemon in the front garden.

Wait... I'm missing something... Family! My family! Look, they won't seem like they're important for... Most of everything to be honest, but I should tell you anyway. I have two sisters. The oldest one moved out of our house with her best friend to hopefully start a Uni course in our closest major city. My other sister was still living with us when this story starts, but soon she moved out with her lover. My grandma is a lovely little old lady who swears like a sailor, but has a good fashion sense. Mum is a typist who works from home and is... Very strict. Most of my adventure had some unseen hindrance by her, but I somehow managed. Then there's Dad, a grunt for Team Noble who specialises in the Air Force. His job takes him all over, so he's not home much and uh... I don't get along with him the best. As the youngest, he doesn't really get me. Plus he was mostly around for my sisters, but his job started getting obnoxious about when I came around, so he never really got to know me at all. Anyway, Team Noble is a military force for Nuholani, but...

I wish that was all.

Anyway, I go to Boonalee State High School. My school has been its own thing for a while now and while we aren't allowed to catch Pokemon on grounds, that didn't stop us from interacting with our Pokemon. And it's because of this interaction, that I got into this whole mess I'm about to tell you.

Who knew that just having some fun at lunchtime could cause a chain reaction. Such a reaction that I was named a holder of something huge, fought something even bigger, multiple times and ended up saving the world. Multiple times. It gets harsh. But just remember this; it's always sunny in Nuholani.


	2. Taken Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grillby is taken by some people I never thought I would see around Nuhola...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, next chapter already. I WANT TO UPLOAD THE CHAPTER ALRIGHT
> 
> I finished my Science draft and I feel free and holy crap just writing. Prepare for more chapters, folks. Weekends and nighttimes, that's most likely time for uploads. Whoo!!
> 
> EDIT: changing some dates and stuff around for a more realistic take. Don't mind the different, it ist really That much different

It was first break, right after a pretty mean Maths class. The five of us were sitting under the tiny outcropped roofing of A Block, the heat of mid summer beating down on us all - the shade was minimal at that time of day. Grade 10 was proving different so far, but it was going alright nonetheless. Astrid was petting her Emolga and feeding it tiny Lamington pieces. Susan seemed to be dozing off with her Glameow. Charlie was angrily attempting to get her Chatot to sing Fall Out Boy songs. I was personally attending to Growlithe's messy chest fur. 

Guess I'll get to the point. The break had about seven minutes left before I went to do Drama, when our group was approached by two peculiarly dressed people. They both wore big, bandana like caps with black blots into the sides. Long chains with emblems hung around their necks. Their clothes were primarily black and white. There was bandanas around their mouths. They began to rap at us in confusing accents, obviously foreign. None of us knew what was going on. But as, they grabbed my Growlithe by the scruff of his neck and swaggered away, I ran after them.

"What the fricking frack do you punks think you're doing?!" I yelled, running after them all the while. The one who didn't have hold of my partner Pokemon turned, gesturing wildly as he spoke.

"Want yo poke back, lil girl? Answer to our boi, Guzma!" Now they were off and running up towards B Block. I went off in pursuit of them, leaving my friends behind under A Block. However, they were much faster than I thought and booking it up the amphitheater stairs wasn't the best idea. I reached B Block and my head whipped around in a unsealed search for them. But the many juniors giving my offhanded looks and people sitting about with their own Pokemon made it impossible to locate them. 

"Get back to senior area, miss Sky!" My grade 8 science teacher yelled at me.

"Yes, Miss!" I replied, booking it back to the senior area, nearly tripping down the stairs beside the tuckshop on the way back. Upon arriving with my friends, Astrid had a valid question.

"Those were Team Skull Grunts... But they were shut down how many years ago?"

"Seven years ago pretty sure. The Admin gave up on it after the first champion was crowned - seven years ago - and the leader went insane and told everyone to go back their miserable lives." I said through heaved puffs of breath, remembering the third unit of Pokemon History the previous year.

"So... why were Team Skull Grunts just kidnapping Pokemon?" I paused as she said that. None of us could fathom why. Susan and Charlie made work of keeping Glameow and Chatot safe. Astrid was more willing to keep Emolga out of its ball - being an expert carer had its perks.

"I don't know why, but... wish me luck. I've gotta take on their leader if I wanna get Grillby back."

"But are you ready for that?" Charlie asked, her British accent kicking in for a second there. I shook my head 'no' and as the bell rang, playing Closer for what must have been the thirteenth time that week, we wandered to the port racks, grabbed our things and went to our next classes. Only I didn't have Growlithe by my side.

*

Explaining to my parents that my partner Pokemon had been stolen by Team Skull Grunts was possibly the worst part of all this. They're the trusting type of people and had respect and trust in me... and for me to go and 'lose' my first Pokemon... they were most likely gonna lose their shit at me. That's what I thought anyway. I got in the ute, Dad was his uniform and asking how my day was. I hesitated and talked about how boring it was and how I nearly got a detention in Humanities. Mentioning that was probably bad enough, but when he noticed I was down and asked about Growlithe... It was all downhill from there and I knew it. I told him Grillby had been taken by Team Skull Grunts.

Then... facing the sister and mother. Sis was fine about it, said it wouldn't be a big deal, but mum... was slightly more upset. And when I say upset, I don't mean angry upset. I mean sad upset. Since Grillby was taken from me and I didn't just lose him, she took it harsh. And then she got super mad because 'THESE F**KING BLOKES THINK THEY CAN JUST STEAL FROM MY CHILD!' She was ready to face their leader to get Grillby back... It was amusing to imagine my mum kicking down the door to their base and tearing Guzma a new one and intimidating him into giving Growlithe back.

I had a hard time sleeping that night.

*

"We will now have Miss Bull for the principals address." It was assembly on a Wednesday morning, the day after I lost Grillby. The hall was cramped and I hated my stupid formal uniform skirt, but it was average for the Wednesday assembly. The principal walked onto stage and adjusted the mic on the podium.

"Good morning everyone." A murmur of reply rose from the crowd. She went on to mention something about the student council and gave credit to a Miss Astrid Rivers for successfully saving and caring for over 400 Pokemon in her sanctuary (you go Astrid). "Now I hate to say it, but as you all know, the funding hasn't been... great this year. So, last Friday, we were offered an opportunity that involved a large sum from a group of people and of course, we took it up. Now, the oval is out of bounds because they are working there and the uniform shop is now in the Chaplan's office, because Mr. Guzma will be working there. They vowed not to interfere with your schoolwork or Pokemon, so I trust you will all keep up your good reputation and not interrupt them and their work either. Have a good day." She walked off stage kind of shamefully. I turned to Astrid.

"Team Skull paid for this school. That means they own it now!" I whisper shouted as they went onto the Sport Report.

"I know right. And it's a fat lie; they took Grillby! Not interfering, huh?" She replied angrily, glancing off at Justin who kept poking her foot.

After that, it was all a blur up until first break. The four of us were sitting with our Pokemon and loving them and I was there... On my phone... Ignoring everyone... Searching the pokedex app. Astrid had her Boldore today and was hastily polishing its rocky skin. Susan was once again being tired with her Glameow. Charlie was trying harder than ever to get her Chatot to sing Fall Out Boy.

"Come on boy. You know the words to 'Our lawyer made us change the name of the song so we wouldn't get sued'. Sing it, boy!" 

"When are you gonna go after Grillby?" Susan asked offhandedly, her eyes closed as she chewed a piece of banana bread. I sighed.

"I don't freaking know. How am I supposed to take Guzma on? He's probably really skilled and-" Astrid cut me off.

"You've got skills too. You know Pokemon types like its nothing. And besides, I doubt he's gonna be smarter than you."

"Yeah, just cause he's old doesn't mean he's wise. In a battle of smarts, I'm sure you would win." Charlie said optimistically, her tone going British again.

"I'm flattered, really. But how can you guys be sure of that? We've never even seen the guy apart from artists depictions in the history textbooks." I asked, turning my brows down on them aggressively.

"The textbooks also said he was insane. I don't think he has much cognitive thought at all." Astrid said with a smirk. I groaned and stood up.

"Fine. I'll go confront him." I said.

"Good luck!" Charlie yelled.

"Hope Grillby is ok when he gets back!" Astrid called.

"Don't die!" Susan said, giving me some of the best motivation ever. Pep talk time. I took their advice. This guy was going to be easy beat. He wasn't smart enough to get past me.

Oh how wrong I was.


	3. Guzma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to get Grillby back, I have to face off with Team Skull's leader, Guzma. Only, after I get Grillby back, an unexpected turn takes me by surprise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the mystery unfolds...
> 
> ALSO, IM WRITING GUZMA WITH A BOSTON ACCENT AND AH DONT CARE

I hesitated. I wanted to see Growlithe again, but the thought of what I needed to do was daunting. I stood before the door of the so called 'Workshop' Guzma had. I was going to, for a second, knock on the door, but an overwhelming feeling of vengeance for Grillby swept over me and I turned the knob of the door with determination. It clicked open to my surprise - I thought it was going to be locked - and I thrust the door forward. I was hit by pungent, metallic odour and shuddered. Two grunts, a girl with multicoloured ponytails and a guy with scruffy white hair and a grim disposition were surrounding a table, what looked to be a machine on it.

"I'm back, bitch and I'm taking Growlithe with me!" I yelled, parading into the workshop with a swag I forgot I had. The girl let out a yelp of surprise.

"COVER IT UP, YOU IDIOTS!!" She yelled, the two grunts quickly throwing a filthy, brown sheet over the table they were surrounding. I marched over to the table just as they finished covering it up with the sheet. I landed my hands on my hips.

"I'm ready for whatever you throw at me. I'll do it for Grillby!" I heard a familiar whimper and I knew that Grillby was in the room. The grunts decided to get up close and personal.

"Yo think ya can take on the boss?!"

"You ain't gonna win this, yo. Give it up!" I pushed them aside and looked at the girl and guy.

"I was told if I wanted Growlithe back, I had to answer to the boy, Guzma." It felt so weird to say that, but it happened anyway. And as it happened, the girl turned to the guy with a stern expression, her tone eyebrows finally lifting over her heavy eyeshadow.

"Guzma?" The girl asked, an accusing tone in her voice.

"Calm it, Plum. Ah got this." He turned to her momentarily, whispering something in her ear. She shrugged dismissively and walked out of the workshop, taking the hands of the grunts and guiding them out with her. Then it was just me and Guzma... and I was terrified. He stood taller than me, even with that monstrous hunch of his. His face was creased with lines of stress overtime and his eyes had copious purple bags beneath, signifying an obvious lack of sleep. He looked like crap, but menacing all the same... I was terrified for my life. "So, that wimp of a Pokemon is yours?" He said, gesturing to Grillby, who sat shivering in a corner.

"Grillby!" I yelled, running over to the poor creature and hugging him close, tears springing into my eyes.

"Ah'll take that as a yes." He shrugged. "Look kid, if you want your Growlithe back, you've gotta fight me for it." I turned to him with a determined look.

"I'll take you on, Guzma!" He chuckled.

"Well, get your sorry excuse of a Growlithe over here." I glared at him for a moment, but didn't bother myself with him. Turning to Grillby, I removed his leash and pet him gently on the head tuft, spraying his filthy fur with a Super Potion. I turned back to Guzma, Grillby by my side.

"Let's do this!" I yelled, signifying I was ready to fight.

"It's the big bad boy who beats you down and beats you down! Destruction taken human form! It's ya boi! Guzma!" He shouted with a smirk, throwing a pokeball forward and then assuming a crouched position on the floor. A Golisopod, I'm pretty sure it was. And a really strong one at that... I didn't stand a chance. He had over twice the levels of Grillby, so despite me having the type advantage, his speed stat would inevitably be higher than mine and would overpower me. He also appeared to have more than one Pokemon...

"Grillby, use Flare Blitz!" I commanded. Grillby carried out the attack, landed a super effective critical hit and the HP of the Golisopod was under half, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough at all.

"Use First Impression." Guzma said in a very chill voice, that thick accent getting in the way. I barely even saw the attack. All I know is that Grillby was down after it. Taking out my pokeball, I allowed it to go back and take the time to heal. Guzma chuckled at my disappointment. "Y'all thought ya could take me?"

"Not for a second, but... I got him back. So it was worth it in the end." I awkwardly adjusted the collar of my shirt and shifted my tie. This formal uniform was so uncomfortable. He stood back up.

"What do y'all now about Alola's champion?"

"Champion Sia?"

"Yeah."

"Uhh, she did a bunch of stuff. Finished her island challenge in a matter of a fortnight. Caught the legendary Pokemon. Traveled through the dimensional rift to fight a fusion creature. And caught a certain number of Ultra Beasts for rehabilitation, I think. And of course, was the first to beat the Pokemon League and hasn't lost to anyone since then."

"Humph. Y'all know your history." He paused for a moment and gazed at the table where the sheet lay. "You remind me of Sia, ya know?"

"What?"

"You've both got that attitude about ya's. She was determined to save someone else's Pokemon from mah Team and she was willin to take on every one of us. Y'all proved you're willin too. Ya knew you couldn't win, but ya took up the challenge anyway, just to save your Growlithe." My breathe escaped me before I could say anything.

"But, that was someone else's Pokemon. There's a difference there."

"Yeah, whatever. When ah first met her in Malie Garden, Ah beat her into the ground. And she took it, like the champ she is. Made sure her Pokemon were OK as she ran to the Pokemon centre in town. Then she came straight back to prove she was stronger than she first seemed. Got me good the second time around." He paused. "What Ah'm saying is, she took the challenge when she wasn't prepared and took a second shot anyway. Y'all both share that determination."

"I can see how that would work..." Except I can't match up to ruling a whole region like she does and keep control of it like she does, was how I thought of all this. Guzma pulled at the sheet on the table hesitantly.

"Look, Sia sent me to Nuhola to investigate. To find some ancient keystone for the ritual and a local girl with an attitude and a Growlithe. An' Ah'm thinkin' you'd be a good fit."

"What?!?! Why?!"

"Because of this." He yanked the sheet off the table to reveal a machine of sorts. Approaching cautiously, I inspected it with new found curiosity.

"What is it?"

"It can summon the necromancer Pokemon."

"Wait, what?! Necromancer Pokemon?! What do I have to do with this?!"

"Kid, you've got the potential to take it on. Even Sia couldn't do it if she wanted to. She wouldn't be able to say goodbye to any one of her team to get better suited Pokemon." I didn't know it then, but it was a lie.

"Sia can do it herself! I can't! I don't even know what you're asking me to do, but I know I can't!"

"Look, Hazel, Ah'm not asking much as of right now. What Ah'm askin y'all to catch and train more fire types."

"But, why?"

"It'll all get explained later. Y'all have class soon, so go. Come back tomorrow, and with more fire types. Don't worry ya pretty lil head tonight." He waved at me dismissively and I exited the workshop with a new found... anxiety. What was Guzma expecting of me? I went back to A Block, feeling odd. Mission accomplished, I had Grillby back, but this... This was new and confusing. Necromancer Pokemon? Potential? Potential for what? Fighting that thing? This was a job more fitted for Astrid, I was sure of it.

*

"Hey, Hazel!" Astrid shouted as I entered the gym, throwing four pokeballs into the air. Out came Grillby, Yellow Belly, FireBeam (my Typhlosion) and Matty (my Boxaroo). FireBeam and Matty never made it out of the house apart from when I came to sanctuary or gym. Yellow Belly was a rare instance, but sometimes accompanied me to school. "GRILLBY!!!!" She squealed, flying off the station she was at and tackling the poor child to the ground. Reunited at last, as if he was hers from the start. "I didn't even ask how it went after you got back! How'd it go anyway?"

"Well, he said if I would fight him, I could get Growlithe back. I did and he beat my ass into pulp. But, yeah. Grillby's back." She paused for a moment.

"But you weren't talking at all during second break. I didn't think he gave it back. What happened?" I let out a sigh of exasperation.

"I'm trying to forget."

"Forget what? Did he harass you or something?"

"No, but... There's something shady going on and he's trying to get me mixed up into it."

"What kind of shady stuff?" I realised she wouldn't be any better than me with this job. It was no use even telling her...

"I'm leaving, Astrid."

"What?! Don't go!" But it was too late. All my Pokemon were back in their balls and I was leaving, walking back home. Through the Main Street, through the park, past my school, past the bowls club, past the Pokemon centre and back home. Sweet air con and assured safety... and Flossy (Noctowl) busting our ears.


	4. Pack your bags!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case of my new found responsibility is still lurking in shadows I can't penetrate, but more light will be shed as I find out my journey won't limit me to Nuholani alone...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long since I uploaded to this. I've been working super hard on multiple assignments and I'm trying to complete chapter five and six of this as well as chapter four of On the Zedge of Glory and just... ARGH!!!
> 
> Anyway, a more comedic chapter as a whole. Things are gonna get shady later on, so enjoy some funny as well as a bit more light

Opening the door to the workshop, I hugged my pokeballs fondly to my chest. I had gone and caught two more Pokemon around the neighbourhood. A Ponyta that I named NightLight and an Eevee that I evolved into a Flareon with a stone that I called Flare Mane. I had come to see Guzma again, but I wasn't remotely happy about it. It was only 7:48 in the morning, before even most teachers were there... I was extremely tired. And it was only Thursday. Rubbing my eyes, I kicked the door closed with my heel and yawned. "I'm back!" I called into the what appeared to be empty workshop. The machine had the sheet over it again and an overwhelming temptation filled me to look at it again.

I don't know what stopped me, but even as I approached it, my will to unfurl it upon my vision once again dissipated. I was standing beside it in seconds, holding the pokeballs with a damned confusion. This thing could summon the almighty necromancer Pokemon. I didn't even know it's name and apparently, I was being expected to fight it. But - the question echoed further and louder into my mind - why? It was just then that Guzma emerged in all his not fully yet awake glory, looking worse than my previous meeting with him. Upon sighting me, he gave a sideways wave that I was sure he didn't even mean and stumbled over to some other thing in the corner. It was amusing, to be perfectly honest.

He fixed himself what appeared to be coffee and went over a page of something. He was apparently unaware of what I was there for. I cleared my throat a few times to grab his attention, only, he still didn't notice. I circled the machine with hawk like eyes, inspecting its nooks and crannies from underneath the sheet. I reached out and grabbed it, ripping it away to reveal the unholy machine. I finally inspected it closer.

It had a glass storage compartment, marked in red marker 'SHADOW UNIT. HIGH PRESSURE. DO NOT TOUCH WHEN IN USE." A motherboard with many gloriously press-able buttons sat near the shadow unit. Many were labeled with specific things, while others were left blank. There was a large monitor screen with mass amounts of green code floating about it. A keyboard rested near it, next to the storage unit. A tall rod that stood taller than the monitor (which was fairly large) which appeared to be connected to the storage unit. A large, red button stood flashing, the label 'ON' written beneath it. I didn't press it.

"What're y'all thinkin? Ah can't tell when ya look like that." Guzma said, putting on his jacket. I questioned how he could do something so outrageous in this heat - which was already 35, which is horrible for the morning - but stayed silent for a few moments.

"I don't understand how it works. It seems really technological though..." I trailed off. He took a sip of the black coffee and shrugged.

"Plum and Sia made it. No one else knows how it works." He said bluntly. "She was supposed to tell me, but..." He paused and took a long gulp of his coffee, "why would she do that?" I shrugged.

"Uhh, I uh... Brought more fire types. A team of six in fact." I put the array of different pokeballs down on the small table space beside the machine. He nodded, running a hand through his tangled hair.

"Good. How many levels they at?"

"My strongest is 46, I think. Pathetic, I know, but it don't have much time to train when I've got schoolwork and fanart and ships to attend to." I blushed and giggled slightly at myself. He shook his head.

"It'll need to be tougher than that, trust me, cupcake." I grimaced for a moment at his comment. God, he was a creep. He set the mug down and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Don't ya ever train?" I glared.

"I actually do, but, like I said," the last few words were said in a venomous tone, "it's not the top of my priorities list. You know, I didn't expect that I would fighting the necromancer Pokemon at 14, but, well, here I am. And I'm fitfully untrained." I frowned as I said it and Guzma shook his head.

"There's still a chance for ya to train. There's no time limit. You just gotta do it eventually." I shook my head at the guy.

"There's a catch. There's always a catch." I said, nodding my head firmly. And he did too.

"Alright, yeah. There's a catch. But that comes later on."

"Tell." He shook his head 'no'. "Guzma."

"Hazel."

"What the freak is the catch?"

"Let's just answer that with another question... Ever fancied goin' to Alola?"

*

"A-hole! Alola?!" Astrid yelled at me later that morning.

"Alola. Apparently when the next ship goes out there, I have to go to Alola for a meeting. I represent something or other, Guzma brings the machine and Plumeria explains it. He told me I would get the rest of it when it happened."

"Yeah, but why Alola?!" She asked, raking her hands through my ponytail in blunt annoyance.

"I don't know! He said I'd find out when I got there. Something to do with the international police, I think." The last sentence was a meagre mumble.

"What?"

"I think it has something to do with the international police! I don't know, it's just, they handle weird crap like this all the time. I figured it's a safe assumption." I trailed off. She ripped a lock of hair from my head as it caught on a savage knot. I yelped in pain and she didn't even apologise. Thanks Astrid. "Aside from that, I need to do a lot more training in that span of time."

"Whatever. Why is it that YOU get to go to Alola and not me? You get to go to a different region at all! It's unfair."

"I can vouch for you." I said with a sly smile.

"What?"

"Guzma and I have THAT kind of relationship. You know, the ones where if you annoy the other enough, they'll cave. If I annoy him enough about it, he'll let me bring you along."

"What about the meeting stuff?"

"I dunno. You could stay at one of the motels while I'm gone." It was now that Charlie and Susan arrived from their trip to the bathroom.

"Hey." Charlie said.

"How's it?" Susan asked, scratching her freckle covered face.

"Stuff." I finished. "Ow! Stop it!"

"I must make your hair beautiful!" Astrid yelled at the top of her lungs, yanking my mass of hair out of the band. "Inadequate, primitive hair decorations!" Susan pumped her fist as if agreeing, but Charlie smiled sympathetically. This had happened to her before too. Neither Susan nor Charlie seemed to care about what happened at my meeting with Guzma earlier that morning.

Britney and Casha came over and took Susan's attention with their new Luxury Balls. Charlie plugged in her earphones and spaced out to some sweet Panic! At the Disco. Astrid was now angrily pulling my hair around in a way that I wasn't really sure what she was trying to achieve. I allowed her to do whatever she wanted, but my mind was flicking back and forth with questions.

"So, Necromancer Pokemon?" Astrid asked as she weaved something into my hair. I nodded and wiped some sweat from my brow.

"Apparently." I uttered. I felt a firm tug on my hair and I restrained myself from whipping around and socking Astrid right in the nose. I swear it on my life, I'm an Espurr in human form. I pulled my phone from my pocket, feeling it vibrate and found a text from my sister in uni. It was some random thought about a fanfic she read, which I replied to with a snarky comment and I deadpan emoji. I set my phone down and watched as a Green Tree Ekans drifted across the driveway before the block.

Closer began to play once again and Astrid finished fiddling with my hair, tying it up with my previous hairband. I stood and the wind ruffled my newly born braid in a dramatic sense. Astrid giggled and tucked a flower behind my ear, careful to mind my glasses. We all set off to our form classes. Only, I was NOT ready to do school. Not at all. I still had so many unanswered questions... guess it would have to wait.

*

"I don't see the issue, though. Astrid's an expert with Pokemon care, she should come along."

"She can't come to the meeting!"

"I'm not saying she has to come to the meeting! Just to Alola with me!"

"But if she comes to Alola, she'll find an excuse to be at the meeting!"

"You don't know Astrid like I do. She may well rampage like a Primeape while I'm gone and nobody wants that. Trust me. Nobody."

"Oh, Ah'm sure she'll live!"

"She might, but I can't guarantee everyone else will. It's gonna be a week, Guzma. The death toll will raise dramatically in that time."

"Ah thought she was the caring type, ah mean, she is a Pokemon carer."

"Yeah, nah. It's called 'selective breeding'. She hates most other humans, especially here in Bonnalee."

"Doubtin' that."

"Best not. She'll wreck everyone's shit."

"She isn't coming, Hazel!" Our argument was paused for a few moments.

"Guess I'm not either." I said, stretching my arms behind me and strutting out of the workshop.

"Y'all can't just do that! They need ya there, ya know?!" I closed the door behind me with a smirk and took out my phone. Time to mess with this guy's head.

*

It was now Sunday. I had just made a confirmation and was maybe too happy about it. I dialled Astrid's number out of dumb excitement.

"So, Astrid..." I said over the phone call. I heard her grunt as she lifted something heavy with her dog Oscar.

"Oh god, is this about that thing?" 

"I know what your talking about and I wish I was, cause then I'd have the right to scold you're arse. But, nope. Just wanted to tell you to pack a weeks worth of crap cause in a fortnight, we're going to Alola!" I heard something hit the ground on the other side of the receiver, followed by Astrid cursing like a sailor as she audibly tried to pick whatever it was up.

"There goes the washing, you monster. But... Seriously?!"

"Yeah! For a week! Imagine all the different Pokemon we could catch!"

"Bragging rights! Volcarona will love it!" She paused. "How'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Convince evil guy. You know, to let me come." I laughed a forced and loud laugh.

"I have ways." I finished, wiping a tear of hilarious joy from my eye.

"Hazel."

"I snuck his phone number while he wasn't looking and pretended to stalk him for a few days. Nothing too bad!" She was silent. "Astrid?" Her reply was full of enthusiasm and love.

"I am so proud of you."


	5. Delirious travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to Alola...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally a transition chapter from Nuholani to Alola. Lil quickie

The meeting at the school had been quick. Astrid and I somehow managed to arrive at the same time, which made things a lot quicker. It felt weird to be at school on a Sunday, but I disregarded it quickly. It was going to be even weirder being in a different region in a matter of only a few hours. To my surprise, Plumeria had a car she was gonna use to drive us to our place of department. The car ride itself was amusing. I mostly listened to music on my iPod, but eventually, the four of us were engaged in a heated debate on which region was the best in our most non bias opinions possible. I was the only one rooting for Johto, but it just felt right.

The port was over an hour away from Boonalee by car. We unloaded the machine which was now better contained and hidden and claimed it was a simple cargo delivery (using Astrid's amazing lying skills of course). We got the tickets and waited the fifteen minutes before our ship left for Alola. Astrid's eyes were like stars as she stared out at the open ocean, the formations of a whole other region brimming on the horizon. But we weren't going there. We were headed a different direction, to Alola. But, we shared the same common excitement. It barely mattered that it was Alola anymore. It mattered that, for a week, it was going to be the two us, in a different region, together.

Passengers to Alola were called aboard the ship. There weren't many of us. It was me, Astrid, Guzma, Plumeria, a few people you could tell were touristing the whole world, and had stopped here and were now going to Alola and a family with a young child and a teenager. We all kept to our own groups around the ship.

"Arrival in approximately 3 hours." The Captain's voice said over the loudspeaker. I let out a groan of disappointment. Astrid smirked at me as she played with my hair, having a giggle at my expense. Guzma flipped his sunglasses down over his eyes for the first time I'd ever seen and sat back against the railing, a slight smile on his face. For a while, the boat was almost silent, everyone keeping respectively to themselves. Eventually, out of my own boredom, I opened the selfie camera on my phone, took a moment to acknowledge how crappy I looked in the cameras eyes and tapped record.

"So, uhh, hour 1 and we're still on the boat. Astrid is drawing Bickie again" I said, leaning over to face her, where she was hunched over, drawing Biscuit. She turned and waved at the camera. I giggled and turned to face the others. "And then there's Plum, who's looking like she just stepped out of a tanning booth." She nodded over dramatically and gave me a thumbs up, already knowing she had a ridiculous sunburn. "And then there's the boi, who appears to be taking a nap." As he made no reaction, I zoomed the camera in as much as I possibly could in his face, holding back unneeded laughter. I tapped to stop recording with a backhanded chuckle. I already couldn't wait to show it off to my sisters and... I remembered that Astrid and I were going to make a video of our logs throughout Alola. I smiled as I made certain this was going to be in the video (spoilers: it is in the video). 

In no time at all, Nuholani was far behind us and Alola was fast approaching. Astrid and I were engaged in a heated discussion about Steven Universe about now.

"Alright, but it's not like they would do it anyway."

"I didn't say they would or wouldn't."

"Yeah bu- holy crap every time I look at you, your eyelashes are longer. Wtf?" I shook my head and grabbed my phone again. I tapped record once more.

"Uhh, captains log. Still on the boat, he's still asleep and Astrid is still annoying. Apparently, my eyelashes are to be noted now, very long."

"F**king extraordinary, is more like it." Astrid said, poking her head into frame. I shooed her off with a laugh, once again closing the recording. As the day progressed, I noticed the sky darken rapidly. I knew that back at home, it was only midday or so. I checked my phone and found, to my amusement, the time was just ??:??. Apparently we were too far from a region for it to detect a time zone. What a laugh.

Day progressed onwards and our conversations grew more and more ridiculous. As an example:

Astrid: But he should have been in Slytherin since the start!

Plumeria: the hat was doing him a charity. nobody wants to be in Slytherin.

Me: wasn't Tonks in Slytherin? Or someone? *brain dies because I just offended how many true potter fans?*

Astrid: YEAH! Well, close enough. He belonged in Slytherin!

Plumeria: *heavy sigh* Gryffindor

Later on was -

Guzma: that show was trash *talking about Doctor Who*

Astrid: *looks very offended but instead of fighting, prepares for onslaught of swearing and yelling from me*

Me: now you listen here you little shit

Night drew on us and stars appeared high above our heads. The rocking host and fading light beckoned me to sleep, despite when I would normally do so. It was lulling me to sleep and there wasn't much I could do to stop it. I rested my eyes and leant back against the railing, listening to Astrid and Plumeria quarrel over the stupidest things. I raised my phone again and tapped record. "Captain's log. Tired. Won't be long and-" my log was cut off as a phone call reached me. Weird. I didn't think there was service out here - exactly how there was was beyond me.

It was mum. She was asking how far we'd got and if I was sick or if anything new had happened yet. I told her what I had said in the logs: still on the boat. She went on about work and my sisters being idiots and my Dad's stupid work schedule and how much they missed me already. I reminded that it's only a week and that I've been on week long camps for school before and that I would update her every day. I smiled to myself as I told her I loved her and tapped off. The log opened again and asked me if I wanted to continue recording. I tapped yes and leaned over the railing, turning the phone to the growing shapes on the horizon. "Nearly there!"


	6. Alola

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving in Alola. Something i never dreamed would happen, but im here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have many things to say other than this chapter was under progress before the _rest of the story _!__
> 
>    
> However, the editing and majority was done more recently. Sorry for the inactivity lately. But here we have chapter 6!  
> 

"Wow. It is cool here." I exclaimed as I stepped onto the grey concrete of the Marina. It wasn't a lie. The calming sea breeze that wafted onto the shoreline was soothing in comparison to the barren, sticky breezes back in Boonalee. Alongside that, the general sight of Alola was a dream come true. The people running about the bustling city around us was different and refreshing. It WAS cool.

"How in the hell do y'all live in Nuhola? Ah'm surprised ah didn't become a roast Torchik soon as ah stepped out into the sunlight!" Guzma replied with a slightly panicked expression. Plumeria nodded in an affirmative reply, before setting off in her own. I smirked and shrugged.

"I'm used to forty degree heat. Hell, we get to teen temperatures and it's like 'HOLY CRAP, I GOTTA PUT LONG PANTS ON!'" I admitted, gesturing down to my full length jeans. He stared off with a look that said many things. Most weren't readable. He began stalking off, mumbling that I had to meet someone before we made our way to Ula Ula. Surprisingly, his stalk was quite quick and me and Astrid found ourselves running after him. 

The restraint it took to not run into the stores of Hau' Oli was the worst thing I have ever faced, even to this day. We had work to do here - this wasn't a vacation. I actually had to grab Astrid's jumper just to make sure she didn't run into the tourist shop. She had to do the same when I spotted the Malasada shop - even in Nuholani those freaking ads play... AND I ALMOST CAUGHT A WHIFF OF THE SHOP TOO! 

Guzma warned us to keep our pokeballs close as we walked into Route 1, proceeding to Iki Town. On our way, we passed a large wooden house. He gestured towards like it meant nothing and murmured "the Kahuna and Champion live there together, but, we'll be meeting with the Champion at the meeting. Neither would be home at this time of night, anyway." I took most of the information with a grain of salt, except for the 'neither would be home at this time of night.' Why on Earth would they be awake at night? Or was Alola a sort of corresponding time frame with Nuhola. As in, daytime in Nuhola, everyone is awake and then it's nighttime in Alola, everyone's awake...

That explanation sounded better in my head.

Astrid mentioned that we might be able to catch Alolan Pokemon - an idea of which I jumped on - and when a Pikipek attacked me, I threw a Premier ball forward. Three clicks and a snap later, it was mine. 

"YAY! I CAN FINALLY SAY I CAUGHT AN ALOLAN POKEMON!" I yelled, pumping my fist in victory. Astrid and Guzma exchanged congratulatory chuckles at me, before a much more hearty laugh cut through it all. 

"Well, it's good to see not even Niekramant can dampen the mood of the young trainers!" The three of us turned in the direction and - obviously - found its source. It was a man about his late teens - maybe seventeen, eighteen or so -, his greenish, brown hair tied in a short, high ponytail. His brightly coloured clothing contrasted against his chocolate brown skin, but it was nothing compared to how bright his smile was. Removing a hand from his pocket, he waved.

"Alola! Been a while, hasn't it Guzma?" He said with a smirk. Astrid and I took a step back as Guzma approached this unknown person - his face wasn't extremely friendly towards them.

"Ah, y'all would know after ya little friend destroyed mah team and then kept beating me, Hau. Y'all would know." His tone was passive aggressive and dangerous. But 'Hau' kept smiling like it was nothing at all.

"Like you were good at stealing Pokemon. What, wasn't that Yungoose your only success?" Though their conversation seemed to be... what's the word? Angry? They were both smiling at this point. They continued to quarrel like this for a minute or two. I vaguely remember Guzma explained how he managed to get Team Skull back together after all these years. But, since I wasn't paying attention, you would have to ask him about it, because I personally don't have any clue. 

Guzma turned around and lifted an arm, gesturing at me and Astrid.

"And these two... are Hazel Sky and Astrid Rivers." He leaned into Hau's ear and whispered something. Both Astrid and I were left to ponder what he said, but, judging by the reaction, I think I know what Guzma said.

"Why didn't you bring her to Sia earlier?" Hau asked in a hushed voice.

"Ah already told ya, boats to Alola are rare in Nuhola like ya wouldn't believe! We came soon as we could." 

"Alright, fine then. Has she trained at all before this?"

"Don' worry about it. Ah've been trainin' her well as ah can." Astrid and I continued to stand awkwardly and eavesdrop while we waited for something to happen. Glancing at each other with confused expressions, we turned and ran into the tall grass. 

"A Bonsley! I call dibs!" Astrid yelled as a small Bonsley tottered into our view. 

"You can't call dibs on a Pokemon - it's a freaking Pokemon." I replied as she threw a Quick Ball in its direction, smirking at me mockingly. The ball hit the Pokemon with a thud and it faded into a blur of red light into it. Three clicks and a snap later, Astrid picked up the ball, now containing a Bonsley, triumphantly. 

"Now I can say I caught a Pokemon in Alola at all."

"Mine's still an Alola exclusive Pokemon, so suck it." 

"Girls. Please calm down." It was Hau talking now. He was standing at the edge of the tall grass, a, what I assumed Alolan, Raichu at his feet. Astrid bopped my arm haughtily and we moved hastily out of the grass patch. It looked down at the sassy seeming Raichu with disdain. It might have been Alolan, but it was still evolved from Pikachu. And I've made it clear in the past that Pikachu's are generally overrated. It seemed to know what I was thinking and defensively curled its enormous tail around Hau's leg. Guzma shook his head at us all.

"Girls, do ya even know who you're talkin' to?" He asked, a tad of annoyance in his voice. We both shrugged. Of course, we were supposed to know who this person was, but we didn't have even a remote clue... well, Astrid might have been lying, but I was certainly stumped. "That's the Kahuna of Melemele." He sounded so done with our shit. I immediately tried to apologise for being so ignorant, but he just laughed.

"I didn't expect either to know, anyway. I wouldn't know anything about Nuhola if I tried, and more to the point 'who'." He shook his head with a smile. He certainly didn't seem to care about our blatant disregard, which was a strange comfort. "Come now." He gestured onward further through Route 1 and began walking, Astrid and I treading close behind. It was then that a realisation hit me.

"Wait... Where'd the summoner go?!" I frantically searched for it. A clunky and huge machine. Easy to spot out here. But it was nowhere to be seen.

"Plum took it. She's meetin' us at the place with it." Guzma said. I nodded in uncertainty and continued walking with Astrid.

"Alright, but... where is the place? That would be good to know..." I said, trailing off in a confessed confusion.

"Somewhere in Poni Meadow. We're meeting Sia at the entrance to the canyon to take us." Guzma replied once again. I nodded silently. I felt like I was being such a bother with all the questions. I had more questions, but I hid them as we reached Iki Town. A man with an edgy fringe and vibrant blond hair sat on the stairs to the town, clipboard in hand, bright green eyes studying whatever sheet it had on it. His brows were furrowed in what I assumed to be confusion, but it could have meant anything.

He scribbled something down as he saw us approaching and stood, straightening his lab coat, running his hand over the braid that hung over his shoulder. His posture was surprisingly straight and I felt my own back straighten at the sight. Hand in pocket, he looked me and Astrid over, probably trying to figure out which one of us was Hazel and which was Astrid. In less than minute, we stood at the foot of the stairs and he asked the question. 

"So, which one would be our chosen one?" I tensed visibly. He raised an eyebrow and looked at me directly. "Guessing that would be you, miss... Sky?" My face flushed over but I forgot to answer. Miss Sky? Did he mean me?... What's my name again? I remember thinking that to myself for a moment. Then I finally remembered. Hazel Sky. I was Miss Sky. I nodded, reverting my eyes from embaressment at how long I had taken. He smiled, despite what he looked. "Not talkative, huh?"

"Nah, you just haven't seen her normally." Astrid said sarcastically, flicking some of her blonde hair behind her ear. His face tensed, but only slightly. Anyone would do that, however. He nodded once and hugged the clipboard to his chest.

"Right." Everyone was silent for a moment. It was awkward... Really awkward. I felt like punching myself so that something could happen... not that they would have cared. Astrid would have probably started helping me too. Eventually, I spoke a general question.

"So, where were Astrid and I supposed to be staying?" I asked. Guzma's face dropped and he rubbed the back of his messy hair intensely. Both Astrid and I collectively sighed. Of course he had been unprepared. 

"I assumed you'd be staying at the Route 13 motel on Ula Ula ." The unnamed man said, an eyebrow raised at Guzma. "Or was that changed?" 

"The meeting was changed to be on Poni Island, Gladion. Apparently, this one didn't hear." Hau said, giving Guzma a hard stare.

"Did the wife change that, or was it Looker?" Gladion asked with a haughty smirk.

"Yes she changed it, but she's not my wife!" I giggled upon hearing that. I'm honestly glad they never noticed.

"Whatever you say, Hau."

"As much as this is amusing, I'm genuinely curious as to where the two of us are staying so we don't have to keep lugging these around for much longer." I said, cutting the conversation there, gesturing to the suitcase I was still holding. I took my phone from my pocket as Guzma said we'd be staying at the one on Route 2 and tapped record. "So, tweedledick here didn't figure it out before we got here. Very helpful." I turned the camera to face Guzma, who shook his head in annoyance. 

"Don't push your luck, Hazel." He said, narrowing his tired eyes. I giggled and shut off the recording with amusement. Gladion handed me the sheet that had been on the clipboard.

"Keep it close. Pass it on to Anabel at the meeting for me, would you?" He said, his tone serious. I nodded and looked over the paper. It was a lot of things at once. A diagram of a Pokemon I'd never seen before, some data put on a graph, a lot of notes and something written in some sort of hieroglyphs. What I assumed at the time to be using the Unown alphabet. I folded it up and placed it in my pocket, alongside my phone. "I best be off, or Wicke will have my head." Gladion, giving an ignorant wave to us all. "Say hello to the wife for me!" He called back to Hau.

"Not my wife yet!" So far, this trip was fun!

*

"Oh, this will be good for the marriage!" Astrid yelled as we entered the Motel room together. It was a joke we had the previous year, where Astrid and I 'got married'. We took it seriously and the joke had carried through the year even til now. We were finally in the Motel along Route 2. And there was only one bed. This was surely going to be fun. I set down my suitcase finally and adjusted my cap on my forehead, the old Team Rocket 'R' embroidered across the front. Thank god nobody takes them seriously anymore, you know, after they were shut down by Red.

Astrid set down her few bags by the bed and took off her sunglasses. I sat on the printed bedcover and removed the sheet from my pocket. I began reading the paper without thinking Astrid would be watching over my shoulder. "Niekramant" was written in bold on the top of the page, followed by the note 'the Necromancer Pokemon'. I gazed at the image of the creature. I looked like some horrific fusion of a Golisopod and a Nihilego, with a sharp beak, beady but bulbous eyes, and tentacles ending in a blur of graphite smudges.

"Hey, that's the Unown Alphabet! Hmm..." I knew she was already reading it. I focused the page away and she yelled out in protest. "Noooooo I was reading that!"

"No."

"But I can translate for you!" She tried to reason.

"No, I'm reading it first!" She reached over my shoulders and tried to grab it, but I reached out further than her (lmao the advantages of having long arms). 

"GIVE IT!!" She screamed at me, probably trying to distract me by making me deaf. Fair enough. But I stayed persistent. Eventually, she let out humph of annoyance and turned away from me, doing the cold shoulder. I chuckled at that, an eyebrow raised and continued reading. The graph had something to do with fluctuations and shadow movement in different regions. All of the notes... The handwriting was almost too small for me to read, but the handwriting forced me off it. This 'Anabel' might be able to read it later on, but at the moment, I was clueless.

I folded the page once again and went to put it in my pocket as the door of the room opened. I hadn't even seen who it was when I yelled, "EXCUSE YOU!" I heard a familiar groan and knew it was Guzma. That voice, after having to hear it for over two weeks was one that stuck... And still sticks.

"Well, ah was bout to tell ya that we're leavin' for Poni, but ya can stay behind..." I moaned in frustration and stood back up.

"But we just got here!"

"Sia's orders. Come on!"


	7. Meeting on Poni

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting on Poni Island.
> 
> And I'm givin a task worth far more than I bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is great but not.
> 
> It's a lil messy.
> 
> But it's good. It gets shit done.
> 
> Also, the last part was all based off a text convo me and my friend had (and if you didn't know, Hazel is literally me and Astrid is my bestie)
> 
> Enjoy!

The ride to Poni was short. There wasn't much to say or do. I just sat in my seat and watched out the window as Poni grew closer to us. As I stepped out onto Seafolk Village, my legs were considerably more wobbly than the last trip I had taken by the sea... which made no sense, but happened nonetheless. It was dark out, not to my surprise.

Ok, I'll cut to the chase (as in none of you want to hear me dribble on about how cool this place was compared to Nuhola). We got to Vast Poni Canyon in almost no time at all. I felt as though something was constantly boaring into me, like a pair of eyes, but, I tried to pass it off as nothing more than the Pokemon that surrounded me. There, at the entrance, stood the Champion of Alola herself, Sia. 

At first the surprise of meeting such a person - without the burden of battle - was... All I could think of, as we approached her. Then, it occurred to me, she was far different than the pictures I had seen. The determined, piercing blue eyes and wild mass of dark blonde curls were there. She was even wearing the black shorts and purple tank top she was always shown to wear. But, something about her, seemed different than to what I expected. She was always spoken to be an upbeat and outgoing type of person. But, she looked so solemn. That could have been because of the situation she was in, with this whole Necromancer Pokemon thing, but I doubted it. And on top that, I never realised she had a scar under her left eye and a few along her arms. 

As she saw us approach, she raised an eyebrow as she looked me up and down. "So, you're our chosen one?" She smiled. "Better than I was expecting, honestly." She extended a hand to me and brushed some hair from her eyes. "Names Ciaran, but you can call me Sia. And you are?" I took her hand with mine and shook it. I stood in a dumbfounded silence for a few moments, my eyes glazed over, but I shook it off in time.

"Uhh, I'm Hazel Sky." I said, a hand lifting to adjust my glasses as they slid steadily down my nose. Sia smiled kindly at me and twisted the band on her wrist.

"Fitting." She replied. "Awkward introductions aside, we best be off. Plum came through before I even got here and Looker will be getting impatient sooner or later." Guzma and Hau turned behind me and began making their way, but I stood for moment. Sia gave me a glance before she started walking with them, but there was something about the look. It said so many things, yet none of them were readable. I stood another moment or so, thinking about it.

"Ya comin' or what?" Guzma yelled, not bothering to look at me. I let out an annoyed 'augh' and yelled,

"Coming!" I ran off after them.

*

Poni Meadow. The machine was covered in that sheet. Plumeria stood beside it, brow furrowed in annoyance. A man in a trench coat and clothes that reminded me of the tenth doctor stood not far away. He was the first to speak.

"Hello, Hazel. I assume you're the chosen one." The man in the trench coat said as I stepped forward. "Names Looker." He said, but my focus wasn't on him at all.

"Ch- chosen one?" I stumbled. He nodded. Coming from him, I was more than nervous.

"I would surmise Guzma chose you for a reason!" He chuckled as he spoke. I returned the chuckle, but it sounded fearful. I shivered as Sia pat me on the back. She touched me. But, once again, the meaning behind it was a jumble of things I didn't know or understand.

"Aww, come on. Ah did mah best!" Guzma yelled defensively.

"I said a girl with an attitude and a Growlithe. He met that." Sia said, her tone serious as she sat . I flushed at that. A girl with purple hair, tied complexly over her shoulder, stepped forward about now. She gave me a calm smile, placing her hands on her hips. 

"Greetings, Hazel. A pleasure to be in the presence of someone so revered."

"Revered?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, my tone somewhat sarcastic and confused. She gave a curt nod.

"Well, after this whole thing blows over in the least!" She gave a hearty chuckle. I was getting more and more confused by the minute, but tried my best to hide it.

"Wait!" I yelled out, digging the sheet from my pocket and passing it to Anabel. "Gladion wanted me to pass that onto you." I was breathing kinda fast. She accepted it with a smile.

"Thank you. I was wondering where this might be." She looked it over, somewhat lovingly before folding it once more and tucking it away - I'm realising it now that we folded that poor paper up a LOT.

"So, how does the machine actually work?" Hau asked, an eyebrow raised at Plumeria. The multicoloured haired girl smiled tiredly and stepped forward, uncovering the machine.

"This, my friends, is a summoner." You could almost hear the eye rolling. "After gathering the research from Gladion, Anabel and Looker, I discovered that one keystone of eight regions is required as a sacrifice to Niekramant. They will be put into the shadow unit."

"Why?"

"Because, from what we've been told, the keystones absorb shadow and contain them, but if not contained properly, the shadows dispersed and didn't return until the keystones were replaced." Anabel clarified.

"So, you've been to this place before?" I asked. I was originally asking about why we needed a keystone of eight regions (and what regions exactly), but upon hearing this new info, I was now caught up.

"Yes."

"And nothing happened?"

"We tried our hardest, and when results came out questionable and with one explanation, we followed it and employed Team Skull to help us."

"Team Skull?"

"AS I WAS SAYING, the keystones thing was all we were able to decipher from the Unown's message at the Alter-" she was cut off rather unexpectedly, by... Astrid.

"I F**KING TOLD YOU I COULD DECIPHER IT!!" She shot forward and was clinging to me in under a moment.

"Wha-?"

"Where'd she come from?"

"Ah toLD YA THIS WOULD HAPPEN, HAZEL!!" 

"Not my fault!"

"Hazel, you bitch, where's the page?!"

The next few minutes were spent with Astrid off in the corner, annoyed that we wouldn't give her the page. We had a meeting to do and she wasn't supposed to be here.

"Before I was rudely interrupted, this rod is what will take in the shadows to the storage unit." She gestured at the rod connected to the shadow unit. "This computer will monitor the stat levels of the Pokemon, the attacks, its weaknesses and its strengths." My brows knitted together as she said that. They had told me that fire WAS good against it. How could they know if they hadn't have used it already? Either that, or they were lying to me...

"The control panel here is what we'll use to hopefully keep a control of the environment when Hazel is battling it. We can't have it running away or turning the whole Alter into shadow, now can we?" She gave me a smile at that I returned in the most forced and unnatural way possible. A minute or so later, she had finished her explanation of the machine, Sia giving her a curt nod of confirmation.

"So, can I do the translation now?" Astrid asked from the corner of the meadow. Everyone collectively sighed as I nodded and Anabel threw the folded paper over to her. With a grin, she stood, cleared her throat and began reading. She snorted once. "Nothing much, some f**king prophecy thing. But most of its... Oh." Her face went red and she brought the page closer to her face.

"Let me guess, smutty fanfiction?" I asked, walking over and craning my neck over her shoulder.

"Apparently they were really into Destiel." She continued to read it with a face that can only be described as 'this is kinky shit and I'm into it for no real reason'.

"Nope." I said, reaching over and pulling the page from her hands. She yelled out in protest.

"Give it back! That shit was getting good!"

"Nope! Not until you give us the prophecy bit!" She heaved a sigh and knitted her brows at me.

"It said, 'when a keystone of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola and Nuholani are all united in the Alter of shadows, the shadows will fall. Beware of Niekramant. The only light capable of fighting it is the flame of a worthy trainer.' Well, on the page at least. I mean, there could be more stuff written at the sight." Looker nodded at her final sentence.

"Ciaran." He said, looking over at the champion. The girl took out a portable device and handed it to him, her eyes averted. He tapped the home button and it booted into life, coming up with a hologram display. "That would be correct, miss Rivers. That was not all at the Alter of Shadows." The display changed to a view of some sort of ruins. His finger interrupted the hologram as he swiped past that picture to instead another photo of the Unown's message.

"Obviously, this is what Astrid what just translated for us." Sia said, standing and folding her arms. The display changed again. To something that made my stomach lurch. "And this is something we were hoping to investigate further. The mass in the centre seems to be..." She trailed off, as if unable to find the words.

"Dispelling?" I asked, looking the image over with glazed and horrified eyes. She nodded.

"It's dispelling the other eight figures, which are all Ultra Beasts, creatures from the Ultra Wormhole, inter dimensional thing. It seems that Niekramant has a pact against the beasts." She finished. I looked at the image closer.

"Can you zoom in on that thing?" I asked. Raising an eyebrow, Looker did so. I looked closer. "Wait... There are eight keystones. Eight Ultra Beasts. Eight regions for this whole thing to be part of..."

"If you're implying the Ultra Beasts and their regional keystones are connected, you wouldn't be far off." It was Sia again. Astrid and I both gave her a look of surprise. She gave us a stare and shrugged. "You had those looks. Like you're thinking. I assumed-"

"No, I was just thinking that. But, then, how far off am I?" I asked, cutting her off.

"Like I said, not very far." She finished.

"You see... There's been sightings all over the world of Ultra Beasts, mostly here in Alola, but singular beasts have been spotted in certain regions. In Kanto, they've seen UB-02 'Beauty'. In Johto, UB-04 'Blade'. In Hoenn, UB-02 'Absorption'. In Sinnoh, UB-03 'Lightning'. In Unova, UB-05 'Gluttony'. In Kalos, UB-04 'Blaster'. Here in Alola, there has been more than one Cosmog, to our surprise. And lastly, back home on Nuholani, they've seen UB-01, 'Symbiont'." Anabel went on, making a good explanation.

"The whole bit is, each of them have some sort of connection to the land, culture and Pokemon of each region. Each Ultra Beast will have a slim connection to the keystone if none at all." She finished. I thought for a moment.

"So, what's the keystone of each region?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

"It's changeable."

"There's a catch." I said. Guzma flinched as I said the words. "There's always a catch." I followed up. There was a silence. Everyone glanced at the other, faces dim with emotion. Eventually, Looker stepped forward.

"The catch is that we have plenty of keystones for every region... All except Nuholani. We're needing you, Hazel and Astrid to retrieve the final keystone for Nuholani." I paused.

"The true catch being?" I knew there was far more to it than that. The man chuckled.

"You really are the inquisitive type, aren't you?" I didn't reply, merely hardened my stare. Avoiding the question. He paused and his face fell. Tapping the home button, a display of a river bend and a shrine appeared in the hologram above it. My heart lurched upon seeing it.

Matilda's lair.

"We're needing you to take a totem from the shrine of Matilda." 

"No." The word left my mouth before I could register it.

"Excuse me?" 

"I said NO!" I stamped my foot. "That's f**king suicide! Nobody goes to the lair of Matilda! She'll kill you and Arceus won't pity you like it pitied her!"

"There's no way either of us can do that!" Astrid yelled, coming to my much needed defence.

"Look, if I'm gonna have to take this Niekra-whatever down, I'm not going to do this as well!" My face was burning under my frames. Once more, everybody was silent and unmoving. For once, nobody had an argument against us. Sia stepped towards us.

"Girls, I'm sorry. But..." She clenched her fist. "Sometimes, you gotta do things you don't want to." I let out a snort.

"As if I haven't heard that once before." I replied sarcastically. She gritted her teeth and let out a groan.

"Look, nobody else can do it. Tell me, are people allowed to go into this lair?"

"Yeah, but local to Nuhola only. Anybody else is at some hefty risks." She hardened her stare as Astrid answered. "Oh."

"None of us can do it, even if we wanted to. Please, you're both our only chance." There was once more a silence. I was hating all this silence.

"Why do you want this?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you want me to catch Niekramant?"

"It's been causing a ruckus. The beasts that I caught way back just after becoming champion have been freaking out lately and that's been correlating with shadow fluctuations around Sinnoh, specifically close to the alter of shadows." She paused. "We've been investigating it so far, but, in order to complete our research, we need someone to catch it." Sia said, grabbing the - what I assumed to be - iPad. She flicked a couple pictures aside and let it sit on one.

It depicted a girl with a Growlithe.

"We think you'd be a fit based off this." I shook my head.

"That could mean literally any girl with a Growlithe. It could mean you, Ciaran." Her brows furrowed.

"Actually, it couldn't."

"Why not?"

"There are many other aspects coming into play here."

"Alright, what aspects?"

"Things you wouldn't understand." Anabel looked guilty of something out of the corner of my eye.

That's about when the meeting came to an end. We didn't discuss much else, just transport for us back home and to Sinnoh. I felt kind of dead inside. But one thing bothered me.

Why couldn't anyone else do it?

*

"I don't think I can go through with this." I said to Astrid later that day. The sun was rising and I knew the sun was setting at home. We were back in our motel room.

"Yeah! I mean, how can they expect so much from you?" I heaved a sigh and sat on the bed beside her.

"I don't know." There was another awkward silence. I wanted it to be filled. I was sick and tired of the sensation of nobody speaking. "Cheer me up."

"How?"

"You always have ways."

"True." She paused for a moment. "Just going out on a limb here, I think that Guzma has the hots for you."

"What?! Where'd you get this notion from?!" My face went bright pink, I can tell it did.

"All of your convos, Hazel! Have you noticed the way he talks to you in comparison to everyone else?" I thought for a moment.

"You make a good point. But, that's a little creepy, don't you think?" She didn't hear me finish.

"Also, what happened at Iki Town when we met Gladion?" She over pronounced the 'on' of his name. "You got so quiet and I swear you were blushing! What, do you have a crush on him?" I was silent and this time I was happy to be.

"Yeah." I eventually said. She gasped. "Oh, come on! You have to admit it too, he is pretty damn hot!" She gave me a funny look and shrugged.

"Yeah, true. But still, you never got like that around any other crush. You were always-"

"That's enough talking for you!" I yelled, wrapping my arms around her neck.

"I wasn't finished, you bitch!" She glared at me, or more the top of my hair. "AND TOURMALINE JUST STOLE MY F**CKING POINT AGAIN!!"

"So, you think Gladion is hot?" She groaned as I asked that.

"Well, I'm not gonna deny that's he's hot."

"So, you could totally being not admitting to having a crush right now?" There was a moment of silence.

"Maybe." I gasped. "I SAID MAYBE! DONT YOU DARE TAKE THAT AS A YES YOU LITTLE SHIT!" I was too busy laughing at her to care. 

"I DONT CARE! I SHIP IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"I hate you."

"Love you too."


	8. An actual holiday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a week left after the meeting, why not kick back and relax. We are in Alola after all...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Absolutely a filler chapter.
> 
> But you're gonna need it before everything that happens in these next few chapters.
> 
> But I love this chapter
> 
> It's great

To my surprise, it was dark out when I woke up. And then, as I felt someone move around beside me, I remembered that I was in Alola. Lifting a hand to my head, the other searching for my glasses, everything from the previous day hit me like a ton of bricks.

Yeah. That happened.

But now, I had a week to enjoy Alola. My hand found my glasses and I latched onto them, bringing them to my face and opening the... The bits that keep it on my face. I dunno, I was never told the freaking anatomy of glasses frames. I know there's the lenses, the bridge, the frame and the pokey outey bits. Glasses on, I turned under the sheets and looked at all the crap on the floor. With a groan, I pulled the sheets carefully aside and was about to get out.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around me. Oh good. I knew what was coming.

And it came.

In a sharp movement, Astrid had managed to kick me off the bed and throw my shoulders into the carpet. I let out a cry. "Wake up, assbreath. I need my breakfast."

"Morning, dear." I grumbled in reply. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

*

"How can I make these in Nuhola?" Was all Astrid had to ask as she nearly choked on a fresh Malasada, her eyes like stars as she ate. Her question was one I had asked as well, you know, on the first Malasada I had eaten. This has to be the greatest thing I have ever tasted, was just one of my thoughts. And Hau was quite happy to see our reactions. He turned to Guzma with a smirk.

"Told ya they'd like them." Was all he had to say. Guzma sneered in reply and set a hand on my shoulder, startling me more than it should have.

"Y'all have to go to Aether Paradise later today. Gladion wants to see ya's." I nodded as I took another bite of the spicy Malasada. I gave him a thumbs up and swallowed my mouthful.

"Sounds good." There was a pause. "Hey, didn't we pass that place on our way to Poni?"

"Yeah. Anyway, ah've got places to be, people to see... Battles to win." The last one was defiantly not meant to be heard. He waved inwardly. "Ah'll see y'all on the ship back to Nuhola." He stalked out of the shop. I turned to Astrid with a smug smile. She returned it with a glare.

"What?"

"We're gonna see Gladion later..." I raised my eyebrows suggestively. She glared harder.

"Don't say it."

"Don't say what?" Hau asked playfully, winking at me. Oh, this was gonna be great.

*

"Hello Aether Paradise!" I yelled as we stood on the docks. It was just Astrid and I now, apparently hearing that the meeting was supposed to be private. We crept around the docking area, through many storage crates and weaved around questioning employees, all giving us looks as if to say we weren't meant to be there. We probably weren't, but we disregarded it due to our ignorance. 

We made it to a triangular platform, where a woman was waiting. Her hair was the colour of darkened plums, styled complexly on her head. She was wearing some sort of lab coat, a section of it split to reveal her pink jumper beneath. She had brilliant yellow eyes and glasses (like me :D).

"Hazel and Astrid?" She asked as we approached. I made an inward gesture at us both, as if to wander if she meant someone behind us. She laughed. "I'll assume that's a yes." She looked us up and down. "Yes, you both look like Nuholans to me." I gave her a pleasant smile, as if to say 'yeah, we look out of place'.... Well, we did. 

"How'd you know it was us?" Astrid asked accusingly. A bead of sweat formed on the scientists brow.

"Well, we assumed you would arrive by private boat, after the RSVP you sent via phone." I nearly choked on my saliva. Oh yeah. The phone call... I'd forgotten about that. "Oh, how rude of me! My name is Miss Wicke. So sorry to be so rude and leave that out." She gave an unsure smile. "Now, could you both come this way?" She guided us to the platform and fiddled with what looked to be controls. A fence formed around the border of the platform and it began drifting down, making me realise that it was an elevator. Wow. The more you know.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop in an oddly clean area. The sound of the ocean was thick down here. Wicke turned away from the elevator controls and pointed at one of the three doors around the room. "That leads to the secret laboratories. Master Gladion will be in the first door to your left." She stood poised and waited for us to move. Faces confused, Astrid and I made our way to the door to our right.

"That lady is weird." Astrid said as we entered the area, the door closed behind us.

"Says you." I uttered as I spotted a door just ahead. A tab hung from near the door, a large silver 'A' labelling it. "So, we're going to Secret Lab A." I said louder than I'd like to admit. We stood before the door for a moment and to our surprise, it opened itself for us. As we entered Lab A, we could see that Gladion was hunched over a tablet of sorts, his face screwed up in annoyance. He was biting his thumb as he scrolled through what looked to be many paragraphs of data. The door shut behind us. He hadn't noticed us yet. "You wanted to see us?" I asked, hoping to grab his attention. His eyes darted up at us and he removed his thumb from his mouth, as if embarrassed - probably was, the bugger. He sighed and stood up, placing the tablet down and switching it off. He began to speak.

"Yes. I heard that after yesterday's meeting, you were both somewhat deterred when told nobody else could perform the task at hand." I nodded, but Astrid sneered beside me, allowing a mutated chuckle to pass her lips.

"Ya think?" Her tone was far too aggressive for my liking, or to Gladion's. He closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I would inquire you to keep yourself at low profile, Miss Rivers. You weren't supposed to be at the meeting yesterday, yet you chose to invade. I would watch it if I were you and I thank god that I'm not." Astrid looked ready to pummel him to the ground and strangle him, so I set an arm around her shoulders to keep her steady. 

"Why'd you wanna speak with us?" I asked, pushing my glasses up my nose with my free hand. He looked grateful for me restraining Astrid and getting along with it all.

"I have an explanation for you both as to why it is you to do this task."

"Yeah, that'd be awfully helpful." Astrid snarled. I clamped the free hand over her mouth, my arm already around her tightening to around her neck. If a headlock was necessary, I would have her in a headlock.

"She's not normally like this." I attempted to say, but it came out stuttered.

"I find that hard to believe." Gladion said, narrowing his brilliant green eyes as Astrid. He sighed once more. "Do either of you know about the ultra wormhole?" I nodded, but Astrid was too busy licking my hand to make me let go to reply to his question. "That's the source of our problem. You see, the Ultra Beasts are attracted to the energy within this space, which is why they are commonly contained there. However, if a human were to cross this barrier into Hyper Space, they would become drenched with this energy."

"Point being?"

"You got angry at Ciaran for being unable to perform the task. But she has crossed through the Ultra Wormhole before, more than once in fact. She is a walking beacon of Ultra Energy." Astrid bit my hand, making me flinch and move my hand long enough for her to yell,

"What about the energy, bitch?!" Gladion's face grew red from anger, his face growing grim. He folded his arms, his brows appearing to almost dig into his eyes.

"Miss Sky, could you remove your friend from the laboratory? She is beginning to get on my nerves." His voice was surprisingly calm.

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't ya!" She shot out of my grasp and launched at Gladion, teeth bared. She actually went to bite his hand, much to everyone's utter and disgusted surprise. Peeling from the wall, I grabbed Astrid around her waist, hoisted her onto my hip and turned around, opening the door. She clawed over my back at Gladion, who I assumed was rather shaken after Astrid's sudden outburst. The door closed behind us and I dropped her.

"Can you restrain yourself for any more than ten seconds?! This is important information! And what did I tell you about biting people?!"

"I remember and NO! I can't restrain myself! Not around him! Just the look of him makes me seethe!"

"Well, go to the conservation area! Take my selfie stick and annoy the others there!" I dove into my bag and removed my selfie stick, handing it to her while she shook from anger. "Take selfies with the Pokemon, or just, occupy yourself." She gave me a glare and stalked off. I took a moment to sigh, allowing myself to clear my head. She had a way to make people annoyed, that was for sure. I turned around and went back through the door. Gladion was rubbing his forehead with frustration, groaning in anger. "She's gone now."

"I heard. That door isn't soundproofed to the outside." I flushed and adjusted my glasses.

"So, you were saying?"

"Yes." He sighed once more and readjusted himself. "Niekramant, from what we've discovered is highly aggressive to the Ultra Beasts. From some field research we found out that Niekramant has horded part of Hyper Space to itself, making sure to keep away from the Ultra Energy. It simply despises it. It even attacked a domesticated Ultra Beast when it was situated near the sector." I was silent, taking it all in.

"When you say field research, you mean that people were sent in there to find it?" I asked. He sighed and nodded guiltily.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"That is highly confidential, Miss Sky. Otherwise, I would tell you."

"Sia was one of them, right? You said she wasn't in there just once. And I'd bet money Anabel went too." He sighed and flicked some of his fringe from his eyes.

"And Lillie and Looker as well.. All ones to have previous contact with Ultra Energy." He screwed up his eyes against something, an emotion of sorts, and rubbed his temples with a thumb and forefinger. "I'm sorry, Hazel."

"What?"

"If Miss Rivers was with you, I'd still be sorry. I've heard the rumours about Matilda and what she's done to people, especially those not native to TAS territory. That's bad enough. But you..." He rubbed his eyes, his face going red. "You deserve better than to deal with Niekramant by yourself." There was a silence and he mouthed sorry at me once more.

"I won't be alone." He perked up for a single moment. "Guzma has to bring the machine with me to Sinnoh. He'll be there when I fight it." Gladion looked down at his feet and his face grew anxious. I was worried by that look, but said nothing. I wasn't sure what it meant. His face fell, but it changed into a smile - and I felt my ovaries explode because holy f**k he had the best smile.

"Then it won't be as bad as we thought." He tapped his tablet and the screen lit up. He picked it up and ran his hand along his braid, bringing it over one shoulder. It was then that I realised he was almost the same height as me, only marginally taller. That amused me. I hoped he didn't notice, but to this day I still don't know if he did or not. He held the iPad out to me, the screen displaying something. It was a digital image of a horrific creature, the same on the page I had given Anabel the previous day. "I bid you good luck against that." He took the tablet back. "You best be off, or Miss Rivers will have terrorised my employees." I nodded.

"Of course." I turned to the door and it opened.

"I dare say, that was brave giving her a selfie stick." I giggled, standing in the automated doorway.

"Oh yes. It definitely was." I made a wave at him. "See ya round, Gladion." I stepped out and the door closed just before he could return the goodbye. I sighed and leaned against the wall next to it, slipping my hands under my glasses to massage my eyes. This was really starting to get to me. So many things, all happening at once... I realised my life would surely never be the same. 

I left the lab area and walked over to the elevator controls. The screen lit up and a menu selection came up next to the question 'where would you like to go?'. I tapped to go to the conservation area. The fence came up and the elevator lifted. The sound of the ocean disappeared completely as I watched the floors go by. My thoughts were consuming me as the gates fell and the elevator was free. Two employees, one with a drenched uniform, the other covered with dirt, leaves and sticks, were standing near it, conversing frantically.

"Was yours a girl with a selfie stick and blonde hair?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" They looked over at me with wide eyes. 

"Can we use that?" I stepped off and nodded.

"Of course." They breathed sighing thanks and ran on the platform, selecting their destination in seconds and whizzing back down to some lower level. I shrugged, but knew who they were talking about. Blonde hair? Selfie stick? That screamed Astrid. And as a sharp cry echoed through the conservation area, Astrid screamed. A loud thud proceeded, followed by a,

"I'm ok!"

*

"Ok, we need to get you doing something not destructive." I said as we sat on the boat later that day. Astrid had managed to take several selfies with the conservation Pokemon and had one point nearly broken my selfie stick. Upon thinking she had, she knew she must resort to drastic measures to take selfies with Pokemon... Crawl into their cages and take the photo. She had managed to kick an employee into the water while they were tending to Corsela and knock another into a bush when she tried to get a snapshot with some Nuholan Pokemon they were housing. It's a real wonder who they were, really.

My favourite of her selfies is when she realised the selfie stick was still working and climbed a tree to take a selfie with a Komola that was pretty far away. In the photo, you can see her smiling, the Komola up nice and close... And in the background, you can see me, with a frustrated expression and my middle finger raised. Best shot ever.

"How we gonna find something like that?"

"I take you to Mount Lanakila and you can take on the Elite Four and Sia."

"But they'd stomp me!"

"And they'd keep you quiet for more than ten seconds!" She stopped.

"You're a bitch." 

"Love you too."

*

"It's been all too long." I heard Hau say as we approached the Battle Dome. We were flanked with Sia, Hau and Gladion this time around. Gladion wasn't dressed in a lab coat, or looking even remotely formal. He was wearing a black hoodie with a red undershirt. Proper edgy. Astrid and Gladion had been shooting each other angry glances the entire walk here. Sia nodded at Hau's comment.

"We walked in there over 100 times..." Her face went pink and she closed her eyes, thinking back. "Man, it feels like it's been years."

"It has been years, Sia." Gladion piped in, receiving an agitated glance from both Sia and Hau simultaneously. Astrid had been making that face at him for so long, it was no longer a bother.

"Well, I'm sorry that we're recollecting on something positive for once, Gladion." Hau said, giving a shit eating smile everyone knew was forced.

"What? When you hooked up with the wife?" Sia snorted with amusement as Hau's face glowed red, clearly embarrassed by the comment. And so he should be.

"We didn't hook up, Gladion."

"And I'm not his wife." The conversation ended as we entered the Battle Down. I looked over at Sia and looked at the scars up her arms. 

"When'd you get those?" I asked. She made a noise to say she had heard me, but didn't completely understand. "The scars?" With raised eyebrows, she looked them over. Her face went pinker than normal and she fell silent. Oddly silent. Even I could tell this wasn't normal for her. "Ciaran?" She jerked from her state at hearing her name and shook her head, what I assume was to clear her mind.

"I don't like to talk about it. It was a... Traumatising experience." She trailed off and rubbed her eyes with a shaking forearm. I swear she wiped tears into her scars, but I can never be sure. 

"I'm sorry for bringing it up." I muttered. She raised one eyebrow and smiled.

"It's fine, Hazel. You know, you're the first to do so in a while." I nodded as if it was common knowledge, hoping to drop it there. I felt someone beside me and when I turned, it was Gladion. He leaned into my ear and began whispering as Sia and Hau became distracted by a Battle Dome worker, who was far too excited to see them.

"She was attacked by someone who previously faced her at the league. They became so enraged at her, they attacked her with a mimicking team while she was training. The bastard left scars. I hope he's dead." I was shocked to hear that.

"Oh my god. But, mimicking team?"

"Her main team is-"

"Yeah I know it. Hothead, Andrea, Fire Agate, Pearl, AshFeather and Nebby." 

"An Arcanine, Pelipper, Ribombee, Toucannon, Decidueye and Lunala. The little shit used the same Pokemon as her, except he used a Zygarde instead of Lunala."

"Attacked her..."

"Cold blooded. He was intending murder from the start. We only saved her because Nebby and AshFeather got Hau and I in time. Like I said, I hope he's dead." He pulled away from me and nearly ran into Astrid, much to their disgust. I personally found it all too amusing after hearing such grim news...

I hope he's dead too.

*

"Good evening folks! I am your host, Evan, here live from the Battle Dome at another Duel Zedge Competition!" An applause followed the man's short speech. I liked Evan already. "Now, for some of you consistent fans, you will know about the legends who won 100 consecutive medals... And on the first 100 consecutive shows, I must add. Today, they have returned to the ring, not as competitors, but as personal guests to something that brought them world fame." There was a silence throughout the stadium. "PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR OUR CHAMPIONS, KAHUNA HAU AND ALOLA CHAMPION CIARAN!!"

A cheer rose up from the crowd as they ran onto the arena. I remembered seeing them back when they first did the Duel Show. It was international. Everyone saw it. My heart skipped a beat as Shelter began to play and two familiar Pokemon were brought onto the court with them, Decidueye and Primarina. Ashy and Prim. "LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!"

*

"That was such a rush! I can't believe we did that again! Gah, I feel so alive!" Sia yelled as we exited the Battle Dome. Her enthusiasm was extremely prominent, almost like she was drunk. I honestly think she was, the way she was throwing her legs about and swinging off her male friends' shoulders.

"I know! I wouldn't have even considered going back!"

"I didn't think you two had as much of a following as you really have." Gladion said, flicking his braid over his shoulder, narrowly missing the hood.

"It was just like the first time." I said with a grin. 

"I KNOW!!" Sia yelled at the top of her lungs, doing a twist on the pavement. There was a spout of loud and masculine laughter across the avenue. 

"It's good to see you back in game, cousin!" The voice came as the laughter ended.

"Professor!" Sia, Hau and Gladion all exclaimed at once. And there he was, in all his half dressed glory, was Alola's own Professor Kukui. Hau ran over and hugged the man, closely followed by Sia, who narrowly managed to fit herself into the group hug. They were all laughing like idiots. Despite how happy he looked - yes, he actually looked happy - Gladion didn't make a move.

"Ah, that was just as good a performance as before you two!" Kukui said as Sia and Hau pulled back. Gladion walled forward.

"Aww, shucks Professor!"

"As always! I mean, you know how it is!"

"Hear it first and now folks! They're back! Better! Older! And even more narcissistic than before! The wonders of the entertainment world! It's Sia and Hau!" Gladion was imitating Evan and doing an amazing job of it. Everybody got a good laugh out of that one, including the ones being insulted. His smile was so different to his usual sneer. I looked over at Astrid, whose face had gone bright pink. Her eyebrows said murder, but her cheeks said otherwise.

Crush confirmed. Real life OTP being formed.

*

We only had a day left until going back to Nuhola and I hadn't made my move ad Ultimate Wingwoman yet. This was harder than expected. I had an idea, but executing it would prove difficult. I would need Astrid and Gladion as close together as possible to let this happen. I was going to have Astrid get some before we left. I knew that much.

I sat in the Malasada shop with Grillby and NightLight, my mind ticking away. This idea was perfect. But still, the execution would be difficult. I sighed and broke off some of the Malasada, passing it over to Grillby who was waiting tentatively for another bite. NightLight whined at being left out, so I tore off another chunk and I held it out to the pony, who gobbled it down in seconds.

I just had to trip Astrid into Gladion, have her yell the signature 'f**k you' and reply with 'no, f**k him, not me!'


	9. Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to find the final keystone for Nuholani

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not very impressed with this chapter, but I've got to do what I've got to do and this chapter needs to happen. 
> 
> I'm just saying it could be better, but I don't really want to rewrite anything right now.

Returning to Nuholani wasn't just disappointing: it was nerve wracking. I knew that Astrid and I were going to have to find Matilda's lair and actually steal a totem from her shrine. I flicked through each and every picture and video preview I had made in the last week, my cheeks going pink. Astrid stood on her toes, looking over my shoulder at them all.

"I still can't believe you tripped me into Gladion like that."

"Worth it."

"Why'd you do it?"

"Until you realised Guzma is in his like, thirties, you shipped us. Just getting back. And besides, at least there isn't much of an age stretch between you and Gladion." She groaned at my answer.

"'No, f**k him, not me'?" She imitated in question. "Really?" She sounded absolutely disgusted with me.

"It applied." I said, switching off my phone and looking over at Guzma and Plumeria. The boat ride wouldn't last much longer, I hoped to God.

The welcome back was been nice, but brief. I was unnerved because I knew what we had to do next. Everyone was so happy to see us, but we knew it wouldn't be long before we were gone again. Down to TAS territory. To some small town where the river bend was supposed to be.

We stayed a few days, making our presentation of Alola. The screen opened up, music began to play - a remix of the song 'Follow Me' that I love and included - and an image came up. Me on the boat. It changed many times. To the scene at Iki Town. To Aether Paradise. The selfie with me looking disgusted in the background. To the Malasada shop. To the Battle Dome. To the Zedge Competition. To Panoila Ranch. To the motel room. To the Marina. To the Alter of the Moone. To me tripping Astrid into Gladion and a chorus of censored swearing from them both. To my snarky comment. To me running away from them both.

They enjoyed watching it.

We left the next day. We got a bus ride to the Brisbane airport. We got our flight tickets using our trainer passports and waited for our flight. It was actually cheaper to fly there. Bus fares were surprisingly high, so we bargained on the flight (despite my crippling fear of heights and death while on a plane). 

Many uneventful hours later, we were standing on the airport tunnel... In TAS territory.

I don't want to go on about our way there because it wasn't anything more than us trying not to fall asleep and listening to music on bus rides. It all got good when we made it to the town where we could find Matilda.

Gillerwind. 

Gillerwind wasn't much too different to Bonnalee, really. The Main Street was strikingly similar, with a post office on the corner, an intersection midway, a SPA-GA and even a theatre near the front end. Oh yeah, and Eagle Boys... They had Eagle Boys too. Bonus right there. A few of those damn Mosquito Pokemon pecked at me with their snout protrusions, but I had to shake them away quickly. We had to ask someone where to find Matilda's lair.

"Oi! Ya new 'round here?!" Someone yelled at me and Astrid as we wondered to the nearest cafe. The girl who had yelled at us was a short ball of sass. Her orange hair was pulled into two ponytails, white highlights streaking through it. Her fringe was dyed a shiny red colour - though, I'm beginning to suspect the sheen was from how oily her hair was, not a dye type. Her skin was sunburned rather badly, making her look pink. Her top was as orange as her hair, a skirt flaring out as it ended. Around her neck hung a knotted thread with a pouch on the end. In the pouch sat a small reddy, orangey stone. She was holding an ice cream carton in her left sunburned hand.

"Uhh, yeah?" Astrid said with a raised eyebrow. The girl beamed at us.

"Well, I'll be damned! Been so long since I saw a new face!" Her smile was brighter than before now. "Names Candy, but y'all can call me Carnelian! Say, what be bringing two nice young ladies like you here to lil Ol Gillerwind?" 

"Um, we needed directions to the river. The one where Matilda-" I wasn't able to finish as her face fell.

"Matilda's one?! Ooooh, I wouldn't risk it, mate. They've said no comes outta there alive." A sweat formed on her brow - one more than the regular that was there from the sheer heat. "I'll be buggered before I see youse two go chuck yaselves in danger like that." The carton in her hand scrunched as she panicked. A man wearing a bowler hat looked up from his seat at one of he tables. He was quite obviously one of the local bogens.

"They be sayin' some weird things about that place, always sayin' how ain't no stranger that goes in comes out. Stories n the lot, codswallop in me. If anyone in there don't come back out, where're the stories comin' from? But still, I'd keep clear. Yeh can hear music if you listen real closely. It creeps me out." He looked us three over with heavy, tired eyes. Carnelian nodded.

"It is pretty creepy. I've heard it meself. You two ain't thrill seekers, are ya?" We shook our heads no. She let out a small moan. "Then, why? I'd rather chuck a duzza out front of Woolies before I'd do something stupid as that... An I'm no smoker!"

"We're doing some research business for the International Police. We just need to get some readings there and we'll be in and out in no time." I said, trying to sound convincing. The man didn't falter as he warned us one more time to stay away from that awful place and left the store shortly after. Carnelian gave us a look.

"Y'all don't look like any officers I ever seen."

"This is a one off job for us." She nodded, but it was uncertain. I felt so bad lying to her.

"Alright, youse are asking for it. Follow the creek just up the road there to the East. It'll cut off bout two k's up at a dam. Keep going from there, there's a gravel path through a forest entrance. Once your in the forest well and good, you'll find the river bend and the shrine." Her voice was low as she instructed us.

"Thank you, Carnelian." She shrugged nervously.

"Glad I could help." The watch on her wrist buzzed. She gave it a look and then proceeded to groan, smacking her hand to her face in a swift motion.

"God damnit! I'll see youse around some time, OK? And drop by Hobart Gym while your here! I'm leader!" She called out as she left the store, taking off, the carton atop her head. Oh yeah. Plover season was still a thing here.

"Wait, she was a gym leader?!?!" Astrid yelled at the top of her lungs.

*

"She said East of the creek, right?" I asked as we reached the creek bed just past the end of the Main Street. A few secluded houses dotted the desert ground, a single lane road connecting them each to the main of the town. 

"East is commonly associated with the right hand side, yes." I glared at my friend as she replied.

"But she did say to go East?"

"Yeah." I was growing tired. TAS was always portrayed as being a cold place, but it was just as horrible as QLD in the summer like this. I was just glad we weren't dealing with Magpies. Plovers maybe, but not Magpies.

But as I remembered that we had a long way to go, I simply shouldered my bag on my back and turned to the East, continuing on just as Carnelian said we should.

The journey to the dam was spent cracking 'your mum' jokes and making innuendos out of condiment names.

"Mustard me up, baby." Astrid said suggestively, as we had been for the past half an hour.

"Mayonnaise..." There was a silence. "I'm not even making a simile here, let's face it. It's thick and its white and it doesn't taste good when there's tons of it..."

"Eww, shut up." We had a good laugh at it anyways. Suddenly, I perked up. A sparkling dam was just in sights, maybe two hundred or so metres away. Behind it, a forest sat clustered in awkward formation, the Acacia branches clunking into each other like crossword answers. "There!" I practically shrieked, breaking out into a sprint. 

"Wait!" Astrid called, running after me. I faltered on the run, but didn't stop. Astrid was gaining on me, but I didn't even care. I nearly tripped on an exposed root as I reached the dam. A good way of forcing yourself to stop. I mean, I didn't even notice it and it was pretty damn obvious, now I'm realising.

"Smart." Astrid said down to me as I plonked myself to the ground and caught my breath. And the award for the best running capabilities goes to... Me. It goes to me. On the other end. I gazed over at the forest entrance.

"This is it." I uttered as I stood back up. Astrid gave a grim nod. 

"This is it." She said in reply. Slowly, we began making our way to the forest. But as we reached the edge, something bolted my feet to the ground. A sound. A soft sound. Like music.

"Did you hear that?" I asked dumbly. Astrid nodded.

"I heard it, alright."

"Let's just get this over and done with." I said, taking the first step into the wooded area. The gravel crunched pleasingly underneath our feet as we treaded into completely unknown territory. We were walking for a long time, a fog gradually gathering around us. As we drew nearer, the music was there. It was there and it was haunting. The fog grew horribly thick and the trees formed a proper canopy, gradually taking the sunlight from us.

"Did you hear that?" I heard Astrid say just as the river poked into view from behind the trees. So little trees were near here, many more further out, but so little here. She was right. I had heard something. A ripple of the water in a way it wasn't supposed to. A few Pokemon poked from burrows and gaped from trees. The music was so loud here, but we still weren't done. We hadn't gotten to the shrine where our keystone was.

I stopped in my tracks as I felt a pair of eyes burning into my back. Astrid stopped as well. "That's uncanny." She murmured, grabbing my hand and helping me forward. After a bit more walking, the music halted. The music box sound we were growing used to simply cut off. Astrid and I stopped in total fear, frozen. The water of the river rippled unnervingly and I swear there was a blue light. Someone began humming. I glared at Astrid, but she wasn't the one doing it.

Hand in hand, eyes darting every which way, we kept walking. But it took no time at all. The fog around us closed in as a bird cried out, coming in thick at our eyes. Arms a flailing, batting as much of the water vapour from our faces as possible, there was a blue glow to my right. It WAS there after all! We took off running, knowing we were still on the right track by the sound of gravel. A tree came into sight and we ran over to it, pausing there for a breather. We were running for a while, to be truthful. This tree in particular was different to the rest. It's entire trunk seemed twisted and its leaves hung like loose moss. A few pink petals emerged from the cover of it. But admiring the beauty as we caught our breath didn't last long at all.

Someone was behind us.

My skin crawled and my back itched. I felt true fear. A hand shoved me forward. "Run! We can't be far from the shrine! Go get it!" Astrid's hand on my back and the words she shouted made me jerk forward and keep going. Blindly, my sneakers fell one after the other as I continued on. Tears brimmed in my eyes. What if that thing had just taken Astrid from me? I thought back to out burger ring proposal, our stupid little wedding on her farm and how much we confused people when we said we weren't actually lesbian. I thought back to how we met, auditioning for the school musical. I thought back to everything...

I hit something stone. I fell back in a rebound motion, landing painfully on my arse. Well done, Hazel. I looked up and saw something, now clear without fog: a shrine. A statue. Of a girl hunched over, weeping into her hands. It stood upon a pedestal. Beneath it sat various different objects. A hairbrush made of ancient stones and twigs. Another statue, one of a Boxaroo, carved out of crystal. A few ghostly dead leaves. And finally, all eight gym badges. In a frantic motion, I grabbed up the Boxaroo, prayed I would get this back after this whole thing blew over and swivelled on my heels, busting out into a sprint once more. I didn't realise just how far it had been when I was running there, but now, in a stupid pursuit of Astrid in hopes that she was alive, it seemed like it was running for forever.

Finally I skidded to a halt. The tree was in sight. The music was blaring in my ears. But, as my eyes adjusted to the fog once more, I saw the blue light properly again. Kneeling behind the tree, I could see Astrid. Just in my sight from underneath the leaf overhang, I could see something peculiar. 

It was Matilda. 

She was wearing an old and torn dress that looked like it belonged in colonial Nuholani for sure, the torn indigo fabric of her dress flowing over her crossed legs. Her feet ended in points, mere stubs. She was wearing a large and floppy purple corkhat, a black satin ribbon tied around it at the bulge. Matilda's skin was a lilting greyish purple. Her hair was darkened blue, but it was only slightly darker than the glow that surrounded her whole body.

And there Astrid sat, braiding her hair.

"Hey Hazel!" She called out, though I didn't know how she could see me through the foliage. I meandered forward, weary of Matilda. I hid the Boxaroo statue in my bag. Matilda seemed to lift her head as if looking at me, but I couldn't make out any eyes beneath the broad brim of her hat. "See girl. She's a nice person. Well, not on most Monday's, but overall, Hazel's a good trainer." That thin lipped mouth of Matilda's drew from a solid line to a soft smile. There were no teeth shown, just a simple smile. 

"Hello there." I said, crouching to be at eye level. "So you're Matilda?" The Pokemon nodded.

"She my beautiful homicidal mutant ghost baby." Astrid said with a smile, throwing her arms around the Pokemons small shoulders. I grinned. 

"But is she a mutant ghost or a ghost mutant?" I asked with on eyebrow raised. Matilda's shoulders shook with silent laughter and Astrid let loose a loud 'HAH!'. 

*

We had sat in the forest for hours to the point that the sun had set under the canopy. When we realised this, Astrid and I stood.

"We gotta go now, Tilda." Astrid said with a hint of sadness in her voice. Matilda reached out painfully, her face creased with grief. "I know. You're just lonely. I'm sorry Tilda." She grabbed the stub arm ending of Matilda's with her hand and held it close. A tear rolled down Matilda's face.

"Astrid, she's a Pokemon. Can't you catch her and take her along with you? The she won't have to be lonely."

"I'm not going to confine her to a pokeball and a PC box. She deserves better."

"Astrid, none of you're Pokemon are confined to a pokeball and a PC box. They're all wondering around you're sanctuary as we speak . That's where Matilda will go. With all of your Pokemon." She smiled and looked down at Matilda. She offered her hand again and Matilda too it. She hoisted the Pokemon to her feet and pulled out a Master Ball. "What?!"

"Professor Scrub gave it to me."

"You mean Fassi? Local idiot?"

"Local scientist." She said with a glare. She turned back to Matilda. "Wha'dya say? You'll get to live with all my Pokemon in a giant tree called the 'Sanctuary.' You won't have to be alone anymore." Matilda smiled with her chapped lips and set a hand on the ball. She began to sing in turn to the music around us, a haunting yet beautiful voice.

"Once a young maiden sat by a billabong~, under the shade of a coolluba tree~ and she sang as she watched the Pokemon play happily~, who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me~ waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda~, who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me~ and she sang as she watched and wondered why she was alone~, who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me~. Down came a poacher to hunt all the Pokemon~, up jumped Matilda who called them all to flee~, and she wept as he drowned her with rage in the billabong~, for keeping all Pokemon safe and free~. Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda~" her song was cut off as Astrid began to sing, her face a kind smile.

"No one ever came to answer her pleas~, but you'll no longer be alone here, lost by the billabong~, cause I'll come a waltzing Matilda with you~. And I'll stay and sing with you, right here by the billabong~. I promise I'll come waltzing Matilda with you~"

The ball opened and Matilda was turned into a mass of red light. She was sucked into the ball and it fell to the ground, shaking three times and finally stopping with a snap. Matilda would never be alone anymore. She was Astrid's now. But Astrid would still make sure Matilda belonged to no one. And she would still make sure Matilda was never lonely again.


	10. Roman Holiday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like it's time to go... Again...
> 
> To Sinnoh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is starting to really be inspired by Roman Holiday by Halsey.
> 
> Expect to see a bit more of it throughout the next part of the story

"Sup, motherhumper?" I asked as I walked into the workshop, once again back at school. Guzma perked up, removing his hand from his hair.

"Did ya get it?" He asked, his voice just as slurred and accented as I remember. I sighed.

"Yes. But asking if I escaped the clutches of a homicidal mutant ghost Pokemon would have been nice too."

"You're alive and standing in my doorway, so ah assumed y'all were fine."

"Astrid and I nearly died."

"How tragic." My eyelids lowered in that way they do when I'm agitated but don't have the energy to fight. I reached into the zipper pocket of my loose uniform shorts and removed the Boxaroo statue. Guzma's tired eyes widened at the sight. "Y'all really do have it." His voice was surprisingly quiet for someone who usually shouts everything he says. I nodded proudly and held it out to him. For a second, I thought he wasn't even going to take it, but his hand snatched it up greedily.

"The keystone for Nuholani." I said matter of factly. He was gazing at it like it was the answer to the meaning of life, gripping it like a lifeline. His eyes were full of wonder.

"A real keystone at that." There was a silence as he sat hunched over, spinning it over and over in his hands. It was awkward, but I waited for him to finish.

"So, when were we supposed to be headed for Sinnoh?"

"In three days. That's when the next boat goes out." I nodded in understanding.

"How long will we be there?" He shrugged.

"Depends. If ya wanna take more time off, it can be up to a week, but if y'all wanna get it over and done with quick, the next boat goes out four days afterward." I thought for a moment.

"Four days." I muttered, hoping he might hear. His face tensed up as he heard it.

"What?" He said nothing. I didn't bother asking further. It was probably nothing. He screwed his eyes shut and held the totem out to me again. "Keep it safe." He said rather simply.

"Don't you need it for the-"

"Ah'll probably lose it. Just take it." I took it back with hesitation. This wasn't like him. I tucked it back in my pocket. It was about this time that the door opened once more and a certain blonde haired friend of mine stepped in to interrupt. Take a guess who it was.

If you seriously didn't get who it was, I will hunt you don't and murder you. It was Astrid, who was closely tailed by Matilda.

"I told you to leave her at Sanctuary, Pistachio."

"What is THAT THING DOING HERE?!" Guzma recoiled at the sight of Matilda, as if convulsed. Astrid looked highly offended at both of us.

"She isn't a thing!" She cried out, hugging Matilda defensively.

"I know you love your homicidal ghost mutant baby, but-" I wasn't allowed to finish my sentence.

"SHE JUST DOESNT WANT TO BE LONELY!! I CANT LEAVE HER! SHE JUST WANTS SOMEONE TO TANGO-"

"Waltz." I corrected.

"Waltz with. Well, I'm not real good at that, but I can do the macorina!"

"You're getting off point."

"How's it even in here?" Guzma took the liberty to ask.

"Astrid caught it." I clarified without turning to him.

"Y'all coulda mentioned that."

"Bitch, you weren't interested."

"Can ya at least put it in its pokeball? It's givin' me the creeps." Matilda turned her hat down in shame.

"She's out cause she was lonely so I'm gonna take her with me and if you have a problem with that, the you can go SHOVE YOUR BLOODY MACHINE UP-" I shot over to her and picked her up like a bag of groceries, whacking one hand over her mouth before she could finish the insult. Knowing what to do this time, she finished her insult and bit my hand so she could continue her onslaught of other insults. "YOU'RE A BLOODY NO GOOD CAFFEINE JUNKIE WHOSE EYE BAGS BELING IN THE LUGGAGE DEPARTMENT! YOU NATZEE WHALE!! SON OF A MUSHROOM'S DISGUSTING PROSTITUTE SISTER!! YOU'RE A- A..." I took her hesitation to drag her out out of the workshop. "A COLOSSAL PRAYING MANTIS WITH GOGGLES FOR EYES THATS WHAT YOU ARE!!" She managed to sneak that one in just as the door was shut behind us.

"Astrid, Astrid. Have a marshmallow. Calm yourself." Good thing I had brought marshmallows that day. I handed some to her and she immediately inhaled them. "Show me the calm face." Her eyes rolled back in her head. There we go. The calm face. Matilda looked openly confused at everything. I felt sorry for her. I handed the bag to Astrid for her to finish and she walked off with twelve of them in her mouth, coming with new insults I couldn't hear. With a sigh, I went back into the workshop. Guzma was absolutely fuming.

"Son of mushroom's disgusting prostitute sister? Natzee whale?"

"That's just how Astrid insults people."

"She ever insulted ya like that?"

"No. She wouldn't do that to her wife." There was a hilarity induced silence.

"That's your wife?"

"Pretty much."

"Y'all are lesbians then. Okay."

"Actually, we aren't." He shook his head.

"But you're..." He trailed off, as if understanding how the point he was about to make was wrong. He eventually shrugged. "Ah don't know why ah even question y'all."

*

"You can't come this time."

"But WHY?!?!"

"Because last time, you interrupted an important political meeting, nearly bit off someone's hand, destroyed foundation property to take SELFIES and nearly broke the rails at the Zedge Contest. This time around, I'm supposed to fight some shadow demon thing. I don't want you ruining things!"

"But I promise I won't break anything!"

"No! Besides, I've been told four times over text that I can't let you come this time. And on top of that, after you after your stunt earlier today, Guzma made it very clear he doesn't want you coming." I lifted my phone, opened the messages app and went to the thread Guzma and I had going. I held the phone at her eye level so she could read the last four texts.

"You named his contact, 'Caffeine Junkie'?"

"Shut up and read the texts, Satan."

"Fair enough." She paused and read them.

"You didn't even put up a fight."

"Nope."

"WHY NOT?!" Charlie looked over at us with a questioning glance, but said nothing.

"Hey can I have your phone for a minute?" 

"Why?"

"I got something you might like." With narrowed eyes, Astrid handed her phone to me. I looked back at my own phone and copied a number into hers, making a new contact for it. I typed in a name for it and clicked to confirm. I handed her phone back to her, a smile on my face. She glared at the phone as she took it back and as she caught sight of what I had given her, her face went bright pink.

"HOW'D YOU GET HIS NUMBER?!"

"I have my secrets."

"HAZEL."

"What? We're friends! I was like, 'hey, want to stay in contact since we probs won't see each other for the rest of eternity' and he was like 'sounds good' in that edgy way he does."

"What's his contact picture in your phone?"

"A photo I got of you and him chasing me down after I tripped you over."

"Sounds about right." She tapped edit in the profile and changed the name from 'Gladion boy' to... I snorted.

"Disgruntled Turkey?!" 

"What? You think it should be like, Draco Malfoy or something?" I couldn't stop myself from laughing at that. Charlie perked up at hearing the name 'Draco Malfoy'. Disgruntled Turkey fit anyway. I mean, that hairstyle.

*

School was over. My bag was extremely heavy on my back as I walked up to the workshop. It was time to go to Sinnoh... And I was promptly shitting myself. Guzma was waiting for me outside the workshop door, spinning a pair of keys around one outstretched finger. The machine, covered in the sheet, was stationed beside him, Plumeria looking it over, her face contorted in an expression I never thought I'd see on her She looked properly scared.

"Ready?" Guzma asked as I approached. I shook my head.

"But I gotta do it anyway." I said, pushing my glasses further up my nose. Guzma merely blinked at me and began walking. Plumeria looked at me with that pain in her eyes.

"He's just as unprepared as you are Hazel."

"What is wrong with him? He's been acting weird since we left Alola."

"He's convince himself he can one day take down Sia. And he faced the league while you were at Aether Paradise. Got through them too. But, then he faced the champion.... He lost miserably."

"He's just being moody after losing."

"Yep." She sighed. "Please don't let it get in the way. You have a job to do." She grabbed hold of the machine and began wheeling it after Guzma. I trailed behind, clutching the strap of my bag warily.

Plum was right.

I wasn't ready for this at all.

And there was only one day until it happened.

*

The boat to Sinnoh was much more crowded than the one to Alola. I didn't know why, maybe it was the price for boat fares that did it. The only person to bid us goodbye as we boarded was Plumeria, who barely gave us more than a short wave before walking off. My phone was already buzzing with many texts from Astrid and Charlie and Susan, but I switched to silent and tucked the phone away.

Without Plumeria and Astrid on the boat, and with so many more unknown people there, it was just plain awkward. My school bag with everything I needed in it sat at my feet, a place where I could keep an eye on it with everyone else so close. Guzma and I honestly looked so out of place there on the seats by the railings. Some scrappy guy with a hoodie on in extreme temperatures and a girl with glasses and a grim disposition. 

"What's your team?"

"What?" 

"Ah wanna see what's takin' down Niekramant 's all."

"Oh. My team." I flushed as I took each pokeball from my bag. I threw them upwards, careful not to aim behind me since... They would go in the ocean and.... They're all fire types put two and two together. Out emerged them all, Grillby (Growlithe I was too lazy to evolve), Yellow Belly (Rebel Black Ekans), FireBeam (Typhlosion), Matty (Boxaroo), NightLight (Ponyta on the verge of evolving) and Flare Mane (Flareon). "Highest level is 74." Guzma nodded.

"Ya know, y'all could beat me with levels like that."

"Oh, absolutely! The type advantage is ridiculous that almost every single one is super effective against bug type. On top of that, I've rigged each of them with moves that have higher critical hit ratios, depending on certain situations. Needless to say, yes," I paused and gave a sly grin, "ah COULD beat y'all with levels like that." What? I'd been practicing that accent for weeks, I wasn't about to NOT use it against him. 

But he found a laugh at it.

"What're their names? Assumin' you don't just leave it as their Pokemon name..."

"Glad you asked!" I occupied us both with introducing them each to Guzma. He already knew Grillby, and he wasn't fond of Matty, but it was overall an interesting experience. Also, he tried to pet FireBeam's back and burnt his hand, which was FAR more amusing than it should have been.

With the leftover Malasadas from Alola, some stale Lamington chunks, a meat pie I stole from a bogan I recognised from Boonalee and some vegemite, I was off and feeding my beautifuls because... Freaking hell, they deserved it. They hadn't carried out the task yet, but they weren't dumb - they knew what they had to do, and being the trainer that was technically forcing them to perform the task at hand (that sounded a lot like Gladion just then), I saw fit to make them feel good and have them remember that... I wouldn't make them do this if I didn't have to.

Flare Mane, FireBeam and Matty were quite obviously scared as I fed them a bit of the pie, knowing that they weren't the best fit for the job at hand, but I didn't give up. I wasn't going to give up on them until the fires they could produce from nowhere was visible on their eyes. Grillby, Yellow Belly and NightLight however, had the fire burning bright, no bribing required. I still spoiled them, because I digress that they deserved it, but no words were needed to make them ready to fight for me.

A true trainers Pokemon.

I ran over some battle styles and techniques with them all, went over their move sets just to be sure and gave them all a few last words of advice to inspire them for what was ahead. "Look guys, I know you're all in your own headspace about this, be it scared shitless or absolutely ready to kick some necromancer butt, but I need to say it to everyone - nothing ever stops a flame. Water can extinguish it, but not destroy it. Shadows depend on darkness and the cold. And what does fire bring? It brings light and heat. Light and heat so strong no shadow can penetrate it, no matter how hard they may try!

A necromancer has nothing on you guys. I believe in you as your trainer, but you need to know that it depends on you being able to spark those flames when the time comes. You understand, right guys?" They all nodded, that fire I was speaking of already burning in their eyes. "We're gonna kick Niekramant's arse!!" My party cheered and pranced before my crouched position as I withdrew their respective ball and let them rest before the battle later on.

"Yeah! You go kick that Nikr-what'sit'sf**k's arse, girl!" A drunk bogan who had overheard my speech exclaimed, falling off his seat in a drunken manor. He didn't get back up.

Each Pokemon was now away and I was tired and restless. I sat back down with Guzma, who was looking down at a pokeball with a peculiar expression. Though I couldn't read what his face meant, it was clear there was uncertainty and sadness there. Something rare for a man like him. I didn't hesitate in asking what was wrong. 

"What's pulling on your dick?" He faced with me a disgusted expression, but then sighed and turned back away.

"Nothing, Hazel."

"No I know someone's getting their dick pulled when they have a face like that."

"Ah'm not answerin' ya."

"No, don't gimme that crap! Just say it!"

"NO!!"

"Oh, suck my nonexistent cock, Eye Bags!" I'm hoping nobody overheard this conversation, as of right now. "What the f**k is wrong?!" There was silence. Eventually, he sighed.

"You love you're Pokemon. Ya really do." My face rushed a pink hue.

"Well, yeah. I mean," I was cut off rudely as my phone buzzed despite the fact that it was on silent. The contact showed a picture of Yuri Plisetsky and the name label 'Satan'. Astrid was calling me. "Augh, excuse me, I have to take this." I held up a finger at Guzma and accepted the call. "Wha'dya want?"

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!!"

"You read chapter 13 of Empty Gold, didn't you?"

"YES!!!" There was a sob and a pause.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Because your tears are delicious." I pulled the phone from my ear and tapped to end call. I set the phone back down on my knee. "They say the tears of your enemies is like sweet revenge, but they obviously haven't written fan fiction that their best friend gets way too into and will actually cry about, because those tears can be even better tasting." I sighed and shuddered with happiness. "Where was I?"

"Ah don't remember either."

"Right." The silence dragged on far too long for me to pick up again, so I didn't bother. My iPod had plenty of charge, I was sure of that, so I took it from my bag and unravelled the earplugs from the metal body. I clicked the screen on and swiped right, entering the passcode and opening the iTones music app. I plugged in my headphones and picked a random song. I closed my eyes and let the lyrics wash over me.

"Do you remember the taste of my lips that night I stole a bit of my mother's perfume~? Cause I remember when my father put his fist through the wall that separated the dining room~." I opened my eyes and looked around the ship. I was somehow finding the lyrics to be... Relatable . "And I remember the fear in your eyes the very first time we snuck into the city pool~. Late December with my heart in my chest and the clouds of my breath, didn't know where we were running to~." I sighed in time with the music. I was somehow finding this relatable. _How was this relatable?!_

_"But don't look back."_

_"We'll be looking for sunlight, or the headlights, 'til our wide eyes burn blind~. We'll be lacing the same shoes, that we've worn through, to the bottom of the line~. And we know that we're headstrong, and our heart's gone, and the timing's never right~. But for now let's get away, on a Roman Holiday." ___


	11. The Alter of Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems about time for the battle to begin... But it feels to soon.
> 
> It's too soon.
> 
> ITS TOO SOON!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY GOD HAVE I BEEN IN A HIATUS OR WHAT
> 
> ANYWAY THIS IS THE NEXT CHAPTER AND ITS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD
> 
> LET THE ODDS BE EVER IN MY FAVOUR GUYS
> 
> NIEKRAMANT HAS ARRIVED

We spared not a moment on getting to the Alter of Shadows after we arrived in Sinnoh. Both tired, we ignored the urge to sleep after SO many hours on the boat and began to make our way. I'll be honest that my lack of knowledge of Sinnoh is to blame when I say I don't know where we went or where we were supposed to find the Alter. 

But I do remember the conversation we had on where we had to go.

"Apparently, it's near SnowPoint City." 

"Yeah, alright...." *cue realisation* "oh that's a bitch of a walk with the machine."

"Ah know, Hazel."

"Wait! Wait wait wait wait wait wait.... I have an idea."

"Oh here we go." *cue me to summon le Typhlosion of ultimate power*

"Hey Guzma, would you happen to have a HM 'Fly'? I kinda need to borrow it."

"Ah live in Alola. Ya know the answer."

"F**king Ride Pagers f**kin' with my ultimate plan. Ok then, a TM for it then?"

"No Hazel."

*scream of anguish* "BUT I DONT WANT TO WALK ALL THAT WAY!!"

"Y'all gotta do it whether ya want to or not."

"Yeah, but if I have to, I'm gonna complain about it."

"We all know."

Three times annoying Guzma to the point he almost punched me, two packets of chips, nearly tripping over a Slowpoke, listening to my favourites playlist twice and nearly throwing my phone in a lake later, we were in SnowPoint City. From there, we located through the nearby to a snow-covered cave shaft.

"This is the place." Was what Guzma said as he started to manoeuvre the summoner down the shaft.

"Doesn't look like any Alter I've ever seen. I was expecting some Alter of the Moone like shit."

"We gotta get to the other side." 

"Well, no shit Sherlock."

"F**k you, Watson." We were silent for a while of the trek downwards. The light of the sun against the snow quickly disappeared and the cave grew rather dark. I had to use the small of amount of my iPod's battery life to use the torch to guide us. Then, we reached a fork in the cave. "Right." We went right. The walk continued on much longer than I thought it would. And when we reached the end of the line, I was more than pissed. A dead end. We had been walking by the light of my iPod which was only a minute away from dying... And we were at a dead end.

"Well, what are we supposed to do now."

"This isn't the end. Gladion said it was here!" 

"Maybe he tricked us?"

"He wouldn't. Not on something as serious as this." He let go of the machine and ran at the wall, ramming his shoulder into it. There was a loud crack, but not from the rock. He recoiled in pain, rubbing his shoulder tenderly. "Tough shit right there."

"Go! Matty!" A threw my Friend Ball forward and out popped Matty, wide eyed and confused. "Matty use Rock Smash!" Matty turned the wall and with an almighty thrust of her fists, turned the stone before us into rock dust. A large opening was left for us, a biting sunlight coming from it. "Nice work, Matty!" I reached down and pet the creature tenderly between the ears. She blushed. I didn't have any treats to reward her with, but I knew that she knew she was a good girl. I put her back in the ball.

"That was pretty good." Guzma said as he passed me, already wheeling the machine out the gap. I went to turn off my iPod, only to find that the flashlight had drained the last of its last battery life. No more tunes for me, it seemed. I sighed and squinted against the light and followed him. We were met with a staircase. A big hulking staircase. Oh great. Almost two hours of hauling the summoner up the humongous set of stairs later, we were met with a sight to truly behold.

The Alter of Shadows.

The Alter was like nothing I've ever seen, even to this day. Guzma automatically began prepping the machine and keystones, but I allowed myself a moment of awe. For a place so well hidden and with such high level craftsmanship, I really wished this wasn't some summoning sight for a creature of pure darkness. It was a masterpiece taken architectural form.

A large stage was set up like a pedestal at the front of the alter, two grand staircases curving from the alter centre front all the way up onto the pedestal. Beautiful sculpts had been carved into the stony rails of the staircases, making enthralling and new patterns at every moment you looked further. The walls along my flanks were covered in ancient carvings, some even new to me. The modernised sculpt of a girl and Growlithe was visible and so was the Unown message. I ignored it for now. The pictogram of Niekramant ridding the Ultra Beasts was also there. The newer ones included a modern carved warning, written in the native Solrian language. Having learned Solrian, I knew that it said 'Danger! Leave! You do not know what you are messing with!'. Alongside that was a world map, with the world's twelve regions visible on it, but chunks of the first six were taken out. A sweat formed on my brow as I saw that.

But that wasn't all. In the photos, I had never seen the alter itself. And it was a sight to behold. On a beam that reached high into the sky, the symbol of a Black Star held high above, even darker in colour against the fading sunset light. There was a centre pictogram beneath it, depicting something so abstracted it was almost unreadable. But I recognised a basic shape, a few key features that I knew that it was a carving of the monster that was Niekramant.

And I have to admit it again, it was all a masterpiece.

"This place... Is incredible!" My voice was surprisingly shrill and echoed against the ancient stone walls. Guzma made a humph of a reply as he set down the eight keystones. I realised at last moment that the shadows cast down from the Alter's centre pictogram were already creeping forward towards us. Towards the keystones. My eyes scanned the walls, looking for that Unown message they had buttered up so much. As my eyes fell upon those eye embroidered letters, my heart lurched. Right there, in all its prophecy induced glory, was that message Astrid had so happily translated. My eyes didn't naturally translate, but knowing what it had to say, it was a comfort and a horror at the same time.

In a silent tomb, it awaits in the shadows for the day it should be challenged by the flame. Be weary of Niekramant. If you do dare challenge it, your flame is all you will have.

Astrid had ended up telling me. My stomach churned at the thought. It still made no sense to me.

"Ey! Over here!" Guzma yelled, jerking a thumb in a beckoning manner. I sprinted over, clearing the distance I didn't realise I had gone in just under ten seconds. 

"Yeah?" I asked, my breath already taken away (yeah I'm really fit by the way). 

"Ya think you're ready?" He asked and for the first time, he actually sounded... Concerned. His face didn't show it, but his voice told the whole story (pun not intended). I shook my head and clutched the side of the machine.

"This is heavy stuff." I said with a certain hesitation. To my surprise, his face softened, but he had nothing to say. He passed me a pokeball, one I didn't recognise ever seeing before. My face changed to a stern yet confused look as I turned it over in my hands.

"A Shadow Ball. The Aether Foundation worked hard to create one for you... Just one." Guzma explained as I rotated it in my now suddenly shaking fingers.

"So... If I mess up..."

"Then y'all messed up good." My breathe receded from my lungs. I wished Astrid was here beside me, but I knew it would have been too dangerous. It was bad enough with just Guzma and I here. She was a danger to us and Niekramant was a danger to her more than she would have cared to admit.

"Let's just do this." I said grimly, hoping I was doing the anime glasses thing that they always do when heavy shit is going down. I made my way over to the stage. I hadn't realised it earlier, but on the stage was a pokeball, like a trainer battlefield in gyms. A battlefield for Niekramant and its challenger. Slowly, I ascended the stairs, my shaking hands gripping to the beams that led me up them. I made it up the stage and caught sight of the summoner uncovered at the foot of the staircases, the very last preparations being made.

My heart seemed to take up all my hearing as the eight keystones were put in the shadow unit. I set my bag down beside me with a heavy sigh, the Shadow Ball in my pocket for safe keeping. I watched in fascinated horror as the shadows began to fleet out towards the machine. Guzma slammed a fist into the ON button, causing it to begin whirring and making noise I could barely hear. He looked up at me and nodded, but I was sure his face wasn't certain. I turned and faced the shifting Alter, my heart palpitating hard in my chest. 

But I was early. The shadows whirled and stirred before my sights for many minutes, many being sucked to the keystones and being trapped with the shadow unit. These shadows seemed to have a mass to them as they swirled around and before me. I tried to swallow my saliva, thick with anticipation and anxiety. I thought back to everything and began to realise things I didn't before.

I hadn't even called Mum to say I was safe and in Sinnoh. I might never get to speak to her again if I was to fail here today. Astrid was probably trying not to fall for Gladion because she thought I had a crush on him. Maybe everyone was being so silent because I might be a confirmed given that anyone who fights Niekramant is going to die and they just didn't want to tell me and scare me off the job. Maybe they thought I was too stupid to comprehend death at my young and naive age.

But I know that Necromancy is the power of death. 

They were taking my now fifteen year old ass for granted.

But for now let's get away, on a Roman Holiday.

I don't know why, but I thought about those song lyrics. I reached for my phone. I had apologies to make, to Mum and to Astrid. If I got more time, maybe I could scold Gladion and Hau and Ciaran over the phone for (possibly) tricking me. I tapped call on Mum's contact and held the thing to my ear. A few call buzzes later,

"YOU DIDN'T TEXT ME, YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

"I'm sorry."

"Are you there safe?"

"Yep. I'm at the Alter too."

"Oh. Alrighty then. Are you ready, darling?" I looked back at Guzma and the machine, feeling my heart beat harder in my chest.

"Not really."

"Well, I know you're going to try your hardest regardless of that, aren't you?"

"Of course." My gaze lifted back up the swirling darkness that was now multiplying before the picture of Niekramant. 

"Well, i know you've got to do this. So I'll leave you to it baby."

"I love you."

"Love you too, my beautiful baby." The phone line ended. I tapped call on Astrid's contact.

Five call attempts later, the bitch wasn't responding. I gave up and texted her what I had to say. A long text talking about how I hoped to see her again and if things didn't go well that she would just have to get over her self pride and admit she liked someone for my sake. The message was extremely hard to type because of just how much my fingers shook. I was surprised at how long this shadow summoning was taking, but I was taking every moment i had left like it was truly my last. I went to the profile of 'Satan's future husband' (oh yeah, I call Astrid Satan over the phone) and went to tap call.

The phone call booted up and rang once or twice, but the phone line was abruptly cut off. The shadows at the Alter's wall began to rise and swirl violently - even worse than they were before. The entire area of the stage became cold and the stench of rotting flesh befell the entirety of the shrine. Cold, biting, like that of a dead man's body. The smell of death and decaying flesh. Shadows emerging from every crevice of the alter.

Niekramant had arrived.

My whole body shook as I watched it form. I heard various tapping sounds and a few grunts of frustration behind me. My legs trembled uncontrollably. I wasn't prepared. That's it. I was not prepared for what was happening. The shadows were beginning to form a body. Something mock of a horse to begin with, with stout powerful legs protruding from a beefy torso. A head split the forming black skin, a poignant beak set as its front. Two eyes opened, beady, but exerting their own light. Pinpoints of red formed within them, seemingly like pupils. The legs shifted beneath it and peeled away from the underside, growing grotesquely into tentacles that surrounded its body. Heads like snakes formed at the ends of them, mouth dripping with frothing, shadowy poisons.

It was positivity horrific. 

My heart stopped in my chest as it locked eyes with me. Without knowing what I was doing, I turned, nearly kicking my bag off the stage and ran off the pedestal, jumping down and away from this horrible creature. The fall wasn't far, but I seemed to descend in slow motion, my hand reaching out in a painfully slow motion. Even my hair whipped around my face in slow motion. Guzma reached out as well, letting go of the machine properly for a moment.

Just before our hands could lock and hopefully bring all of this to an end, shadows formed before me, making a barrier between us. I was alone for real now.

With nothing but a flame I didn't know how to use.


	12. Looking for Sunlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seems like it's time...
> 
> May Arceus have mercy...

My feet landed on nothing and I was being carried back somewhere. My bag was thrown out of my view and six pokeballs were left behind, six pokeballs that I was all too quick to scoop up and keep safe. My body shivered from the cold. It was colder than the snowy areas of Sinnoh had been to the point that it was utterly biting. I held the six pokeballs in my arms tearfully. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Something clicked within me. This wasn't supposed to happen! The machine was meant to control the battlefield as well, in case something like this were to happen! What was Guzma doing?! I knew then that I should have never trusted him.

Feet first, don't fall.

Niekramant pointed one glowing eye at me, flashing like dim lightning, winking through the foliage of a forest during a tropical storm. My phone lifted, the battle app opened, the message 'You are challenged by Niekramant!' on the screen. With tears in my eyes, I threw one of my pokeballs forward. Out came Flare Mane. I went to command the little thing to use Flamethrower, but Niekramant was too quick. I realised as I looked at my phone, the Pokemon stats opened, that this creature was a level ninety beast of power. Little level 65 Flare Mane stood no chance. The text appeared on the screen, 'Niekramant used Leech Life!'.

It's not very effective! The text scrawled as the initial attack finished. But the lingering effects would be a constant for the rest of battle. My bag had been taken somewhere into the shadows, so I wasn't able to use any status healers. Or potions. Or revives.

I really was left with nothing but my flames.

"Flare Mane use Flamethrower!" The Flareon lunged forward, a gust of gaseous flames erupting from within his throat. The flames reached the perimeter of the wavering form, licking up the shadows like a child with ice cream. Super effective. I looked down at my phone to check Niekramant's stats with a hope, only to have it diminish horribly. Niekramant had only been drained of 156 HP out of 2000 health points. The lingering Burn effect wouldn't matter to something of such colossal size. Flare Mane jerked in pain as Leech Life continued to slowly drain his HP.

Niekramant used Shade Blade! Well that was conveniently named to rhyme. A scythe of shifting shadows formed before Niekramant's manifestation, it's eyes glinting in the shadows savagely as it brought the blade down upon Flare Mane. "Flare Mane!" I cried out, but the sabre swung more, almost hitting me as I attempted to run over to Flare Mane. It hit 4 time(s). Flareon didn't move after the attack was finally over. He had barely any HP left, but the lasting effects of Leech Life took the last of his HP.

We'll be running again.

Before I could let Flare Mane back in his pokeball, his body was shrouded in shadows, taking him away. "FLARE MANE!!" My voice has never been so shrill. Tears boiled in my eyes. This was all so useless! Niekramant was going to take my Pokemon if they didn't make it! Tearfully, I threw another ball forward and out came Matty. With a horrified expression, she looked up at Niekramant, her boxing gloved fists shaking. "Matty use Brutal Swing!" My voice was shaking violently, cracked with silent sobs. Matty lurched forward, swinging one arm forward savagely, her first colliding with the rippling shadows.

I checked my phone. Only a 73 HP decrease. This was going nowhere fast. 

Niekramant used Leech Life! Matty's HP began draining quick. I was wasting time. My mind clouded, I shouted yet another command for her. "Matty use Brick Break!" A 123 decrease. I cringed. We still had a long way to go. I waiting for Niekramant's next attack. Niekramant used Absorb! I don't know what I expected, but it didn't effect Matty in the the least. From a random source, Niekramant began drawing HP back. It gained an extra 40 HP out of nowhere.

I floated amongst the swirling shadows, confused out of my mind. Leech Life continued to drag Matty's life away. My move was to come next, but I didn't go for it. I tapped the 'run' option in the battle app, hoping I could retreat. Can't escape! Great. I had just wasted a move. Real good job there Hazel. Niekramant used Shade Blade! I closed my eyes and let it happen. Matty fell and the shadows surrounded her, taking her with them.

'Where is Guzma? He should be helping me' was one of the many things that crossed my mind in those minutes. I threw my next pokeball forward. FireBeam emerged. "FireBeam use Flame Wheel!" I shouted, my voice cracking many times in just those words. I couldn't lose anyone else. FireBeam became surrounded by flames, encircling him at once, before they were sent rocketing at Niekramant, colliding with the snake heads in a gross fashion. Niekramant let out a shriek of pain that nearly broke my already fragile ears. I knew that if Astrid had been here, she would have collapsed and stopped the fight, pleading with this creature that she would help the, instead of fight them... It seemed a really good idea now that she wasn't here and she was back home in Boonalee, safe and sound and with Matilda and everyone else. 147 HP minus.

Niekramant used Absorb once more, now drawing in 85 HP. If it kept going like this, I would never let this fight end. But FireBeam was a strong laddie. No Leech Life yet, to my surprise. It seemed a pattern already broken. I hoped it would last that way for longer. To be truthful, most things I did in this battle was hope. "FireBeam use Lava Plume!" FireBeam leaped out towards Niekramant, torrents of smoke and magma pulsing from his body, almost bleeding it down onto that giant body. Yet another shriek as more of the snake heads were destroyed. A loss of... 192 HP! Incredible!

There wasn't time to celebrate, because these attacks were really making Niekramant mad. Niekramant used Poison Fang! My heart lurched as three separate heads launched away from the main body and out at FireBeam, latching onto his limbs with feral teeth bared, mouth dripping with lethal poisons. FireBeam somehow managed to shake them off and land in front of me, a poison effect prominent in his weak stance and heavy breathing. I hated this. I hated this all so f**king much. I felt guilty with the next attack. "FireBeam use Lava Plume." FireBeam shook off some of the poisons that were still dripping on his back and launched forward, making the same attack once more.

Once more, a 192 HP decrease. I check the stat app to see what HP Niekramant was packing. 1242 HP. Great. We still had a while. Niekramant used Absorb! Once more, it gained 85 HP from nowhere. FireBeam fell, succumbing to the poisons, being surrounded by those awful shadows like Flare Mane and Matty before him. I sighed. This was awful and going nowhere. I only had three Pokemon left. I threw my Great Ball forward and out came NightLight.

Keep close, stand tall. 

As NightLight saw what she was up against, I could tell she was terrified. The way she fell back made it obvious. But then she turned to me, an intensity in her eyes. Niekramant used Absorb! I checked my phone. It gained 130 HP. I cringed. No, it couldn't be gaining HP! "NightLight use Flame Wheel!" NightLight became surrounded by the spiralling flames, not hesitating to throw it out at Niekramant without any remorse. 172 decrease. Always good. But of course, next came the Absorb and Niekramant had gained 130 back. I repeated Flame Wheel and. The same HP was lost - 172. Niekramant used Shade Blade! 

I was surprised to see NightLight still standing after the attack was over. She had enough HP to last another attack. I grinned. I was just so proud of her. I commanded yet another Flame Wheel. Critical hit! 197 decrease! I knew I shouldn't have smirked. Niekramant used Poison Fang! I closed my eyes... NightLight dodged the attack. I opened my eyes, surprised to see her clean of any poisons, no brutal bite marks on her robust skin. I smirked. "Let's see if we can land another critical, Nighty. Use Flame Wheel!" 197 decrease. Niekramant had only 849 HP left. Maybe we could do this!

We'll be looking for sunlight.

Niekramant used Shade Blade! Oh god. I couldn't bring myself to watch her go down and be robbed of her life. Two Pokemon left. My strongest... But could they last? I threw my pokeball and out came the slender body of Yellow Belly. The Rebel Black Ekans wasted no time on fear, only hissed, baring the lethal poison sacks within its mouth. "Yellow Belly, give it a taste of its own medicine!" Without an hesitation at all, Yellow Belly went for it, aiming for the heart of its convulsing body, chomping down hard on its skin. Niekramant roared and thrashed, throwing Yellow Belly off it. 56 decrease. 793 HP.

Niekramant used Absorb! It gained,,. 185 HP. 978. The poison effect made no dent in that number. 976 HP. I cringed, gritting my teeth. There was still too much HP to even try and use the Shadow Ball. I wanted it to be over, so breaking badly I could have thrown it then and there. One more time, in an fruitless effort to escape, I tapped 'run'. Can't escape. Niekramant used Absorb. 1163 HP. 

I felt like crying. I wanted to cry so f**king badly. 

Or the headlights, til our wide eyes burn blind. 

"Yellow Belly, use Fire Fang!" If poison was going to make no effect, at least the flames might. 154 decrease. 1009 HP. It still wasn't enough. Niekramant used Shade Blade! It wasn't effective enough to kill Yellow Belly, thank Arceus. I commanded yet another Fire Fang, taking yet another dent of 154, aided by the small drain of the poison. 853 HP. We were getting closer, if nothing else. If I could just stop it from using Absorb...

Niekramant used Leech Life! Back at it again with the Leech Life, it seemed. Yellow Belly was nearly out of any power, but managed one last Fire Fang, just for me. 697 HP. The poison effect wore off of Niekramant. The last effects of Leech Life eventually got to them and Yellow Belly went stiff, dropping into the shadows and becoming one with them. Tears boiled further in my eyes as I sent out my final Pokemon - Grillby.

We'll be lacing the same shoes, that we've worn through, to the bottom of the line.

Grillby snarled at Niekramant, eyes burning more intense than I had ever seen them before. He turned to me and nodded with determination, a smirk across his muzzle. Niekramant was faster than Grillby, taking the opportunity to use Absorb. The number of HP is gained was even higher, though I can't remember the exact numbers at this point. Everything was becoming a big hazy cloud at this point, my hopes of a battles end almost consuming me. I wasted no time in small attacks.

"Grillby use Flare Blitz!" I shouted.

And we know that we're head strong, and our hearts gone, and the timings never right.

Grillby rocketed forward, flames swirling around him as he launched straight for Niekramant, no regret in those determined eyes. A checked the stats app to check the HP, but got distracted as I saw something. Niekramant hadn't gone after Grillby... Grillby had used Fire Fang, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fire Fang again... He was helping me without the commands! I couldn't believe it. But the screams, the flames that kept licking up Niekramant's body all signalled of Grillby's own doing.

Grillby was thrown away from Niekramant by the only snake head still standing, a quick Poison Fang being shot into his side. Grillby shook it off with grim emotions, giving me a determined look. I checked the stats app once more, grinning at seeing the continuous drain of HP. I took the Shadow Ball from my pocket, knowing that if I didn't steal my chance at throwing soon, it would be too soon. I clicked the button in the centre, causing it to expand in my hand. Those horrid shrieks continued, ringing in my ears. It was time to put it all to an end. 

But for now let's get away, on a Roman Holiday.

I threw the Shadow Ball forward. It collided with Niekramant.

*

My feet hit the platform, the shadows receding back into the alter. Niekramant was gone. Grillby was by my side. The shadow ball sat motionless in the centre of the platform before. It had shook three times already. It had clicked. 

I had successfully caught the God of Necromancy. I had caught Niekramant.

At the same time, the shadows that were leaking away disappeared, leaving the unmoving bodies of my fainted companions behind. I never clicked them back into their pokeballs quicker. I needed them to survive, at least until we could get back to the SnowPoint Pokemon centre. I held each of them close, Grillby snuggling into my shaking legs. I collapsed to my knees, giggling and hugging Grillby, tears in my eyes.

"HAZEL!" I heard Guzma yell behind me, turning and seeing him fleeing up the stairs to meet me. I swear the shadow unit was broken, but I can't be sure if it was or not. I don't recall. The most I recall was Guzma almost tackling me and hugging me close... Really close. And crying onto my shoulder.

We were just relieved to be alive. I know I was more than just happy hugging my best Pokemon in the world and a newly made friend. We could all finally take a sigh of relief.

It was over. The mission was complete.


End file.
